Chapter 40
Vander rushed out from behind the tree92Please respect copyright.PENANAgAg2ddnVHC
and immediately rolled to the ground as two arrows embedded themselves in the92Please respect copyright.PENANAudky5dUxjY
dirt right where he had been standing. Despite being assassins and spies, it92Please respect copyright.PENANACsT5KQTrN8
seemed as though the Green Serpents were crack shots with the bow, but he92Please respect copyright.PENANAkt9HAOFzcd
decided to see what would happen when they faced someone who was expecting92Please respect copyright.PENANAjsl230185J
them. He scooped up a couple of rocks from off the ground and palmed them as he92Please respect copyright.PENANAj8ZBU1lZgK
charged his enemies.
More92Please respect copyright.PENANAuJZ20MPFgq
arrows were thrown at him, but it seemed as though they were drawn quickly92Please respect copyright.PENANAHZmIDPVemL
without much aim. Some whizzed over his head while others got stuck in the92Please respect copyright.PENANArYneOBd9BQ
ground a few feet in front of him. One came dangerously close to him, but he92Please respect copyright.PENANAd8FoEeTtUK
smacked it away with his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some92Please respect copyright.PENANAp5HkLrXRyk
movement. Taking quick aim, he threw a rock hitting a Serpent’s shooting hand.92Please respect copyright.PENANArp9SohJqSS
With a cry of pain, he dropped the bow, but drew a knife instead.
“I’ll92Please respect copyright.PENANAEHgcycrCQb
gut you.” He snarled and rushed him with the dagger poised low. Vander stepped92Please respect copyright.PENANAHDDSzoURfb
back as the dagger was thrusted forward. He grabbed the serpent’s arm and92Please respect copyright.PENANAkrvCc5w447
yanked the poor man off his feet before slamming his palm into the guy’s nose.92Please respect copyright.PENANAgdwFs0mqFJ
Blood spurted as his nose broke and embedded itself into the brain, killing him92Please respect copyright.PENANAftkUlM5bxz
instantly. He quickly lifted the body up as two arrows hit him in the back. He92Please respect copyright.PENANANTW4ybeD5g
rushed forward using the freshly made corpse as protection until he could see92Please respect copyright.PENANAMQwoMxnJCm
who he was looking for: three Serpents standing in front of him.
Unlike92Please respect copyright.PENANAjht0aSA2Ry
the one he had just killed, these three looked like veterans. They had deep92Please respect copyright.PENANArlU24xOiBs
green face paint and wore outfits that helped them blend into their92Please respect copyright.PENANAEnyd8OK7tl
surroundings. There was a hardened look in their eyes as they stared at him.92Please respect copyright.PENANAyXZAYHl7pw
Knowing their bows would be useless if close combat, they lowered them to the92Please respect copyright.PENANAc7veT6ajum
ground then removed their quivers. Each one removed a large knife from the92Please respect copyright.PENANAIGZ1JMe3qG
sheathe strapped to their backs.
“You92Please respect copyright.PENANAqCzaM9rtDj
might be a Blade, but you aren’t a match for all three of us.” One of them92Please respect copyright.PENANA5yvXaHLAha
growled. As if practiced, they spread out keeping Vander between them. From92Please respect copyright.PENANAk3N3Or9DP2
here he could tell that the knives were poisoned, one wayward scratch would92Please respect copyright.PENANAKky3f8JJ5I
send him to the afterlife, but he couldn’t stay here as he was. That was just92Please respect copyright.PENANAc1TVMSa8dz
asking to be killed.
Vander92Please respect copyright.PENANAEHg5oPsnWT
threw the dead serpent at the one in front of him. As he fell scream in a92Please respect copyright.PENANAoUsVFif7Rp
tangle of bodies, Vander went to the left to handle the one there. He slashed92Please respect copyright.PENANAsX7Iti4qiq
with his sword, but the serpent was nimble. He rolled over the sword strike,92Please respect copyright.PENANATqU77YLUU7
landing on his feet. He stabbed with the daggers, but Vander grabbed the wrist,92Please respect copyright.PENANAquD62tBxqM
guiding it away from him. He kicked out the back of the leg sending the Serpent92Please respect copyright.PENANA76HYU7nAXo
to the ground. As he fell, he brought his boot up catching Vander in the92Please respect copyright.PENANAgbv6Z3JfVM
stomach and sending him flying onto his back. He rolled and brought his sword92Please respect copyright.PENANAXkr4pdeQ4e
up in time to block the second serpent’s daggers. He pushed him stumbling92Please respect copyright.PENANAsQ2j87BSHS
sideways then scrambled to his feet. Before the serpent could adjust, Vander92Please respect copyright.PENANAcBmekjxpbb
slashed his back open with his sword.
Blood92Please respect copyright.PENANAByZystU4Cz
sprayed as the man stumbled and fell to the ground. There was no time to check92Please respect copyright.PENANAhUCLAIsGk2
to make sure he was dead as another was on him. The man was a whirlwind with92Please respect copyright.PENANAHLTlvIc0aK
his daggers, spinning, slashing, and stabbing. The dagger cut his pants,92Please respect copyright.PENANArB5zMYc623
jacket, and shirt, but luckily it wasn’t deep enough to draw blood, but soon92Please respect copyright.PENANA74E5WcEccD
enough he could get past his guard. He wanted to keep one alive for92Please respect copyright.PENANACBqaQo5vOV
interrogation, but that didn’t seem like it would be likely. So, he waited for92Please respect copyright.PENANAmUNAL8GANZ
a brief opening before cutting down with the sword. With a scream, one of the92Please respect copyright.PENANA5JIHYkvtGM
serpents’ hands hit the ground in a bloody heap. Before he could scream more,92Please respect copyright.PENANAUbzQj2xV7N
Vander cut his throat.
“Die!” The serpent who had been92Please respect copyright.PENANAD5jUSE7jSm
tangled up jumped from behind him. Panic raced in Vander’s chest. He had92Please respect copyright.PENANAbGjUSWszbq
forgotten about him and now it was too late for him to protect himself as the92Please respect copyright.PENANAnIIpAYl6Xx
daggers raced towards his throat. Acting on instinct, he lunged underneath the92Please respect copyright.PENANA68KASSQ8VQ
daggers grabbing the serpent around the waist bringing them both to the ground.92Please respect copyright.PENANA9eapu89eX3
Vander’s fingers turned to claws as he tore out the man’s throat.
He could feel the demon clawing92Please respect copyright.PENANAlc6HxxJ8Fe
closer to the surface. It wanted out, a way to release its aggressions, but now92Please respect copyright.PENANAcH6VD4gimA
was not the time. Vander bit down on the impulse shoving the beast back into92Please respect copyright.PENANAI5Ku6wIaMt
the recesses of his soul. Soon, but not now. He had to get Kiara and Eliza back92Please respect copyright.PENANAxGz4dbpUPK
first then all hell could break loose.
Vander spent some time going92Please respect copyright.PENANALlUcQBBzBe
through the pockets of the dead serpents to see if they had left behind any92Please respect copyright.PENANAE9lBGh8Uou
tools for him to use. He found several poisoned knives and needles, but the92Please respect copyright.PENANA0V2QFqFRJc
rest were weapons that would be too much for him to carry so he discarded them.
Before leaving92Please respect copyright.PENANARneZaW2QOa
the area, he dragged Briar and Forest’s bodies back towards the road. He never92Please respect copyright.PENANAmS1VYISQqq
should have brought them here. This was his penance and his alone. Now they92Please respect copyright.PENANAuW2ewutsSM
were dead. He would have to carry that burden, but he swore he would make the92Please respect copyright.PENANAJGtQrLq9gS
Serpents, and Eve, pay for what they had done.
He remembered the92Please respect copyright.PENANAskwhJyWY43
village from his travels across the country. He knew that it would be heavily92Please respect copyright.PENANAuKxsTZoQV3
fortified, especially now that the challenge had been issues towards him to get92Please respect copyright.PENANA4hNpHBwq0G
the queen back. He would have to come prepared. So, he scooped up a bow along with92Please respect copyright.PENANAJwN8SHVvmu
a quiver of arrows. They would know he was there, but only after some of them92Please respect copyright.PENANAqNeluYbPyq
had died.
The sun was92Please respect copyright.PENANAtgWCbxxgxb
beginning to rise when he spotted the walls through the forest. The village was92Please respect copyright.PENANAGZBR3HHhTd
aptly named because it bordered the forest. This was a hunting village, taking92Please respect copyright.PENANAdBKEygpilR
out small game and deer to feed everyone. He wasn’t quite sure when the92Please respect copyright.PENANAy72uBByGHL
Serpents moved in, but it must have been recently as they have had no reports92Please respect copyright.PENANAIyuYe8xyFD
of the village being under attack.
As he looked at92Please respect copyright.PENANAknEyuF3sgP
the front gate, he noticed several men wearing green cloaks and talking amongst92Please respect copyright.PENANA4VAGBVpmZl
themselves. Without caring about who they were, Vander notched an arrow to his92Please respect copyright.PENANAqejl5j4HIg
bow, took aim, then fired. The arrow took a guard in the throat and before the92Please respect copyright.PENANApXYsqiAeyV
others could react, several more arrows flew into parts of their body. One took92Please respect copyright.PENANAJBFQ6dZphW
an arrow in the shoulder, while the third took one through the knee. Both went92Please respect copyright.PENANALmm3flsUUm
down screaming, but they weren’t killing shots. It was enough to bring more92Please respect copyright.PENANAldwsdCiIbj
Serpents out for him to kill.
They were pouring out of the village92Please respect copyright.PENANAeY18mduC4A
now to get vengeance for their fallen comrades. He only had time to take down92Please respect copyright.PENANAHLGdK5bOxc
two more before the rest were on him. He tossed aside the bow and quiver and92Please respect copyright.PENANAGGIETxcsiz
drew his sword to strike against his attackers.
The first one went down with barely92Please respect copyright.PENANAOH0pWBWFfC
any effort. He sidestepped out of the way and ran him through. He blocked a92Please respect copyright.PENANAsGo8MLhAG5
strike from the next one then pushed him aside, but soon he was overpowered by92Please respect copyright.PENANAAZtDRPMvAd
the sheer volume of people. As he raised his sword, one kicked his wrist92Please respect copyright.PENANAK9fJGyYwiQ
sending it spiraling out of his hand. He was punched in the jaw and knocked to92Please respect copyright.PENANArx50emCkuH
the ground. He tried to fight back, but several pinned his arms and pointed a92Please respect copyright.PENANAVbFn6hupKJ
sword right at his neck.
“Stop!” Vander heard Eve shout. She92Please respect copyright.PENANAHz1gKblypq
pushed her way through the group and if he held out any hope that she hadn’t92Please respect copyright.PENANAOB7Qt9cc53
betrayed them the look in her eyes combined with what she was wearing sealed92Please respect copyright.PENANAi0onC5Z7wq
her betrayal in stone.
She wore a sleeveless green shirt92Please respect copyright.PENANAYcBD2eDEBi
showing off lean muscles and a massive snake tattoo going down her left arm.92Please respect copyright.PENANA7p7xpUBkLd
Her hair was pulled back but covered with a green hood. She wore two daggers on92Please respect copyright.PENANAYr4VCh6xWO
her belt.
“So, you did betray us.” Vander spat.
“Betray you?” she laughed. “I was92Please respect copyright.PENANAe3uegVcXdd
never apart of you.” Now that he got a good look at her, he realized that she92Please respect copyright.PENANAUMIgsWwKIz
had been messing with him from the beginning. She was broader than she looked92Please respect copyright.PENANA3WgCUFAvfb
before, more heavily muscled. She wasn’t sixteen, she was likely someone older92Please respect copyright.PENANAFfegsFDxCL
than he was. It also explained the gaps in the recruits’ skills. She had been92Please respect copyright.PENANAMfW1u5u58x
playing them for fools since the very beginning.
“They trusted you,” Vander struggled.92Please respect copyright.PENANAmQlFr0tMAo
“I trusted you.”92Please respect copyright.PENANAF6DGg95DDq
92Please respect copyright.PENANAdJF03msDrw
“I’ll have to make a visit to92Please respect copyright.PENANAYfAcF1QAl8
whoever your informant is.” She grinned. “He almost ruined everything, but92Please respect copyright.PENANApHxgzIvEC3
luckily you were so easy to fool. Get him up.” Vander was hauled to his feet by92Please respect copyright.PENANAT09gSYZgdj
several strong hands. “We will take what we need from you then I will spend a92Please respect copyright.PENANAWXfON1ivKQ
lot more time cutting you to pieces. I’ve always wanted to hear you scream.”
92Please respect copyright.PENANAR945pmPRBw
92Please respect copyright.PENANAPnIg4AMzFF
92Please respect copyright.PENANAz2I6IqEpFj
92Please respect copyright.PENANAXnMrRz7hsd
92Please respect copyright.PENANAW95yYAuFEB
92Please respect copyright.PENANABKUhSqLGjv
92Please respect copyright.PENANASb4v639xmz
92Please respect copyright.PENANAaHMfYF9deF
92Please respect copyright.PENANAt7L0oHQfV4
92Please respect copyright.PENANA3b8VHpuoxe
92Please respect copyright.PENANAvD9dUi9zic
92Please respect copyright.PENANACbr5KXoUNZ
92Please respect copyright.PENANAvqoG4snAKE
92Please respect copyright.PENANAEBOcGpnzML
92Please respect copyright.PENANAd9tWoWdBsw
92Please respect copyright.PENANAVKe6EkzEav
92Please respect copyright.PENANApPFhhYSlop
92Please respect copyright.PENANApogTrNTOja
92Please respect copyright.PENANArv0eiBTAxr
92Please respect copyright.PENANA944Th4u30g
92Please respect copyright.PENANAxwf26ahicD
92Please respect copyright.PENANAfRFs07ckud
92Please respect copyright.PENANA1SiMb3hbFp
92Please respect copyright.PENANA4TyldpQZK9
92Please respect copyright.PENANAap2zGq2re8
92Please respect copyright.PENANAaZWNMSrDKd
92Please respect copyright.PENANApNkeut61Us
92Please respect copyright.PENANACnfRQOrGLK
92Please respect copyright.PENANAR3Kxc8dTGX
92Please respect copyright.PENANAnIU7v7akTY
92Please respect copyright.PENANAGBTcJC9uJy
92Please respect copyright.PENANAEcMgqJZjo3
92Please respect copyright.PENANArbeJyyW2RR
92Please respect copyright.PENANAo0rIaAYlRh
92Please respect copyright.PENANAOEZ2RbyK6A
92Please respect copyright.PENANAb1ADesf8TS
92Please respect copyright.PENANAbvgftdvc5J
92Please respect copyright.PENANAAg5dmf4OIo
92Please respect copyright.PENANA6bQRhPDTNV
92Please respect copyright.PENANAlzLtB4MBsA
92Please respect copyright.PENANALyU3P6z7Gp
92Please respect copyright.PENANAW8oM0Fq0MQ
92Please respect copyright.PENANAsjk37T0cLa
92Please respect copyright.PENANAsqHP1GetU0
92Please respect copyright.PENANAeTNAhf9WPd
92Please respect copyright.PENANAcVK6QVUyJI
Maybe, just maybe, Peyton will come92Please respect copyright.PENANA1S62rHTPWP
here himself that way he could show everyone that he was innocent. He would92Please respect copyright.PENANAFedAaoOO49
have to bide his time and wait, however. Hopefully his reinforcements would92Please respect copyright.PENANAifIG8BnS2x
arrive to save them, but he shouldn’t count on it. If Peyton knew they were92Please respect copyright.PENANAH0JUzA3BKH
mobilizing the army he would make it quick. For now, he willed his body to92Please respect copyright.PENANAlVRxVgATFy
relax. However, he wasn’t going to let them get away with it. He and the demon92Please respect copyright.PENANASLznGHCVyf
were going to have a lot of fun before they were killed.