My bow string grew tight underneath my fingers as I pulled it back to my ear. I looked down the shaft at my target: Lordling Adrax. Son of an influential Lord, it’s no surprise that I was hired to take him out. His father, Kiath, is a big supporter of the prince taking over for his deceased father, while the people who hired me supported the prince’s uncle taking the throne until the prince is old enough. I didn’t take any side in the argument. I just did the dirty work.
The lordling was walking through the city streets, surrounded by the keep’s guards. They were on the lookout for any threats around him, they didn’t even think of looking at the roofs. I rarely ever felt remorse for one of my targets, but everything I had heard about Adrax painted him as a good guy. But I’m not paid to feel remorse.
Breath. Breath. Release.
The arrow split the air, right on target. A glint of light and then it hits home in Adrax’s chest. And bounces off. Adrax stopped and stared at the arrow that now lay at his feet, his guards staring as well. I sat there stunned. Grabbing another arrow, I quickly re-aimed before the guards could fully understand what was happening. This time I aimed at his head.
Adrax’s head snapped back, causing him to fall down. The guards finally snapped to and rushed to surround him. Others were scanning the rooftops searching for me, but I had already left.
My head reeled as I ran across the roofs and quickly climbed down between two buildings into a back alley. That did not just happen!! I carefully removed the grate to the sewers and slid down into its murky depths.
What I saw could not just have happened because it was so rare that many dismiss it as a myth. But the rule stills stands: soulmates can’t harm each other.
Adrax was my soulmate.
* * * *
My mentor, Thrios, was waiting for me down in the sewers. The look on his face told me that he already knew that the job went south. He only motioned silently for me to follow him, and I did back to the safe house.
Once inside, I slumped down at the table, confusion rolling off of me as I tried to process what had happened. Thrios got me some water and slid into the chair across from me. “What happened,” was all he said.
I drank the whole cup while gathering my thoughts. “I can’t kill him,” I whispered.
Thrios leaned forward. “What do you mean?” he inquired. He reached a hand forward and lifted my chin until I looked into his eyes. “Speak Thane.”
I steeled my nerves as I repeated myself. “I can’t kill him. He’s my soulmate.”
Thrios dropped his hand and leaned towards me, “Impossible.”
“Mentor, my arrows bounced off. I have never missed a target, but I could not pierce him. I aimed at both his chest and his head, and he is still alive.”
He leaned back, “Well, this is interesting. It seems the rumors are true about the rule.”
“What shall I do?” I said, starting to panic. “My vows! I can’t have a spouse, but he’s my target!”
“Hey!” Thrios pinned me to my chair. “Breath, okay! We can’t figure this if you are panicking!” My breaths were coming way too fast. I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.
Thrios slapped my face. The entire right side was stinging as I reacted. I launched myself out of the chair, tackling him. He dodged out of the way and threw me to the ground. I grunted on impact scrambled to my feet, my face still stinging.
Thrios crossed his arms, “Are we more in control now?” I cupped the side of my face and nodded. “Now,” he continued, “you are an assassin, Thane. You don’t lose your head when something goes wrong. You are right, you cannot have a spouse as an assassin. So, that leaves you with a choice to make. Go to Adrax and leave the guild, or stay here as I go kill him myself.”
My eyes grew wide and shock reverberated through my body. “Kill him!?” I exclaimed.
Thrios continued looking at me, “He is our target. He is who we are paid to kill.”
“But- but he is my mate.”
“And that’s where the challenge comes in. If you leave, you and he will be hunted for the rest of your life. Usually, I would immediately kill you if you left, but this is special circumstances. Or, you could stay and he will die.”
I slumped down into my seat. “Mentor, you would really let me leave?”
Thrios lowered his eyes, “For a little while, yes. But I would eventually come after you. And Adrax.” He turned and walked out, “You have until dawn to decide.”
* * * * * *
Adrax stood in the center of the square. I watched from the shadows as he twisted around, looking for me. I had written a letter to him earlier today asking for him to meet me. “I didn’t think you would come,” I stated as I took a step forward into the torchlight.
Adrax turned to face me, “My guards tried to talk me out of it. I don’t blame them, after all, you did just try to kill me.”
My letter had been quick: an apology for trying to kill him, and a request to meet him here at midnight.
He gave me a small smile. “What’s yo-”.
Blood sprayed as an arrow split open Adrax’s head. I squeezed my eyes closed as his body collapsed to the ground. Thrios emerged from the shadows beside me, looking at the body. “It’s over now, Thane. Time to leave this city.” but he looked at me and saw the tears forming in my eyes as I stared at Adrax’s lifeless body. “Do you need a minute?”
I nodded numbly. Thrios took a step back into the shadows as I took a step forward towards the body. I knelt down and looked at Adrax. Reaching towards his face, I shut his eyes. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. I reached down and slipped his ring off his finger, proof that the kill had been made. “Thousands of people live happy lives without meeting their soulmate,” I continued. “And I had to make a choice between you and my family.”
I draped my cloak over Adrax’s body, covering him from the elements. Then I stood up, and Thrios and I walked out of the courtyard.
* * * * *
Alternate ending.
Adrax stood in the center of the square. I watched from the shadows as he twisted around, looking for me. I had written a letter to him earlier today asking for him to meet me. “I didn’t think you would come,” I stated as I took a step forward into the torchlight.
Adrax turned to face me, “My guards tried to talk me out of it. I don’t blame them, after all, you did just try to kill me.”
My letter had been quick: an apology for trying to kill him, and a request to meet him here at midnight.
He gave me a small smile. “What’s your name?”
“Thane.”
Adrax approached me. When he was only a couple of feet away, he held out his hand. “Thane, nice to meet you face to face. My name, as you probably know, is Adrax.” I reached out and clasped his hand in mine. In the torchlight, scars were visible crisscrossing the back of my hand. Adrax tightened his grip on my hand so I could not pull away as he turned my hand more into the light to look at the scars. “How recent are those?”
I wanted to pull away but knew that if I walked this path, that everything would come forward at some point. “Not very recent. Some of them are from knife accidents while I was training.”
“Right, assassin.” Adrax dropped my hand then and looked at me. “It’s not going to be easy to get my parents to accept you, but I’ll work on them. Until then,” He slipped his ring off his finger, “take this. I will talk to them about you, and we can meet in the city. I would really like to know my soulmate more.”
I took the ring and slid it onto my finger. I smiled at him, “I would like to get to know you too.” Just then, a freezing breeze blasted through the courtyard. Adrax pulled his thin cloak around him to try to fight against the chill. Almost without thinking, I undid my cloak and threw it around his shoulders. “Here, take this.”
He smiled at me again and pulled it tighter around him. “Meet here in a week?”
I smiled and nodded back. ‘See you soon, Adrax.”
“Good night Thane. It was great to meet you.”
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