Chapter 40
Vander rushed out from behind the tree93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4NBu0FwHU
and immediately rolled to the ground as two arrows embedded themselves in the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZar8rujbt
dirt right where he had been standing. Despite being assassins and spies, it93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqQtawPFJG
seemed as though the Green Serpents were crack shots with the bow, but he93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdN7rqXvcl
decided to see what would happen when they faced someone who was expecting93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubJP6e69Tm
them. He scooped up a couple of rocks from off the ground and palmed them as he93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNl3BrhzVj
charged his enemies.
More93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5QY1l2KmU
arrows were thrown at him, but it seemed as though they were drawn quickly93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xJtSmXcab
without much aim. Some whizzed over his head while others got stuck in the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76xOay5jda
ground a few feet in front of him. One came dangerously close to him, but he93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLo7Faf0eMb
smacked it away with his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWBlazo5JX
movement. Taking quick aim, he threw a rock hitting a Serpent’s shooting hand.93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVi8id9MgL
With a cry of pain, he dropped the bow, but drew a knife instead.
“I’ll93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdfDDKwrJu
gut you.” He snarled and rushed him with the dagger poised low. Vander stepped93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTFIREjmJi
back as the dagger was thrusted forward. He grabbed the serpent’s arm and93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9rVRI2WoM
yanked the poor man off his feet before slamming his palm into the guy’s nose.93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kUH63Gj7H
Blood spurted as his nose broke and embedded itself into the brain, killing him93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPNFxJtGru
instantly. He quickly lifted the body up as two arrows hit him in the back. He93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi88h3if5Ze
rushed forward using the freshly made corpse as protection until he could see93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJzhTxxfuU
who he was looking for: three Serpents standing in front of him.
Unlike93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxZQD3SlE2
the one he had just killed, these three looked like veterans. They had deep93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡix6mBTPLuE
green face paint and wore outfits that helped them blend into their93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMvQGJRTdr
surroundings. There was a hardened look in their eyes as they stared at him.93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADhl6MwUKr
Knowing their bows would be useless if close combat, they lowered them to the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMg8qqnFsx6
ground then removed their quivers. Each one removed a large knife from the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYl6jiaV50X
sheathe strapped to their backs.
“You93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhP6nGVCki
might be a Blade, but you aren’t a match for all three of us.” One of them93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesmAi7OOt1
growled. As if practiced, they spread out keeping Vander between them. From93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjCPSHtHIC
here he could tell that the knives were poisoned, one wayward scratch would93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qQYkHPRsa
send him to the afterlife, but he couldn’t stay here as he was. That was just93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPVcLGJldH
asking to be killed.
Vander93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUN8nN68pUF
threw the dead serpent at the one in front of him. As he fell scream in a93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pUnsRFfbN
tangle of bodies, Vander went to the left to handle the one there. He slashed93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOZimAQ1ss
with his sword, but the serpent was nimble. He rolled over the sword strike,93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnn6WtydaD1
landing on his feet. He stabbed with the daggers, but Vander grabbed the wrist,93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifZWCz3guY
guiding it away from him. He kicked out the back of the leg sending the Serpent93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jmGoAjj8H
to the ground. As he fell, he brought his boot up catching Vander in the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPUo9m7jZM
stomach and sending him flying onto his back. He rolled and brought his sword93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4BIzhOoAK
up in time to block the second serpent’s daggers. He pushed him stumbling93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVStnu8fAV
sideways then scrambled to his feet. Before the serpent could adjust, Vander93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnje99g2OY
slashed his back open with his sword.
Blood93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ593pu2wEp7
sprayed as the man stumbled and fell to the ground. There was no time to check93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5Eupanw9c
to make sure he was dead as another was on him. The man was a whirlwind with93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pZhcE2kl0
his daggers, spinning, slashing, and stabbing. The dagger cut his pants,93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlH3RfuQDi
jacket, and shirt, but luckily it wasn’t deep enough to draw blood, but soon93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIugAJwjfJ
enough he could get past his guard. He wanted to keep one alive for93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMBf2OqUY9
interrogation, but that didn’t seem like it would be likely. So, he waited for93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8EBtDLck2
a brief opening before cutting down with the sword. With a scream, one of the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34VEwyXZAx
serpents’ hands hit the ground in a bloody heap. Before he could scream more,93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YjrOotqmF
Vander cut his throat.
“Die!” The serpent who had been93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCCZatNkRl
tangled up jumped from behind him. Panic raced in Vander’s chest. He had93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBeahZfYm3
forgotten about him and now it was too late for him to protect himself as the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyX1Y8vs5d
daggers raced towards his throat. Acting on instinct, he lunged underneath the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4hBN7fy9N
daggers grabbing the serpent around the waist bringing them both to the ground.93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnCyA9kx2y
Vander’s fingers turned to claws as he tore out the man’s throat.
He could feel the demon clawing93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAchyatHlYv
closer to the surface. It wanted out, a way to release its aggressions, but now93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9m7apx9xVV
was not the time. Vander bit down on the impulse shoving the beast back into93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYpe9mDlxE
the recesses of his soul. Soon, but not now. He had to get Kiara and Eliza back93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfylBUMUsC
first then all hell could break loose.
Vander spent some time going93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jr2ejyIW9
through the pockets of the dead serpents to see if they had left behind any93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweWsLVsP4l
tools for him to use. He found several poisoned knives and needles, but the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKr9slY2O3
rest were weapons that would be too much for him to carry so he discarded them.
Before leaving93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWp3AytjAxs
the area, he dragged Briar and Forest’s bodies back towards the road. He never93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXF4r8AmTl
should have brought them here. This was his penance and his alone. Now they93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0imvpU4Iu
were dead. He would have to carry that burden, but he swore he would make the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcK7VkCAjk
Serpents, and Eve, pay for what they had done.
He remembered the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2ZDIQEKBV
village from his travels across the country. He knew that it would be heavily93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2oy03Pb96
fortified, especially now that the challenge had been issues towards him to get93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElwjGh9iWt
the queen back. He would have to come prepared. So, he scooped up a bow along with93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTp6I8BeBn
a quiver of arrows. They would know he was there, but only after some of them93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1Se21ZxyX
had died.
The sun was93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wJQ4xeXve
beginning to rise when he spotted the walls through the forest. The village was93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhtkp98X8n
aptly named because it bordered the forest. This was a hunting village, taking93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfH45dKC6z
out small game and deer to feed everyone. He wasn’t quite sure when the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4zVbjTsNU
Serpents moved in, but it must have been recently as they have had no reports93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROXqbyEm1q
of the village being under attack.
As he looked at93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmtnSXhNqB
the front gate, he noticed several men wearing green cloaks and talking amongst93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVPne9Nfnb
themselves. Without caring about who they were, Vander notched an arrow to his93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0qr4YXB1D
bow, took aim, then fired. The arrow took a guard in the throat and before the93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5MhrKEzqq
others could react, several more arrows flew into parts of their body. One took93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgINqbkp2H9
an arrow in the shoulder, while the third took one through the knee. Both went93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7jmzT5YtQ
down screaming, but they weren’t killing shots. It was enough to bring more93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPIaAb3Tdo
Serpents out for him to kill.
They were pouring out of the village93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvKjUkBIde
now to get vengeance for their fallen comrades. He only had time to take down93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOabW6xRoV3
two more before the rest were on him. He tossed aside the bow and quiver and93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmf5y4QrMrT
drew his sword to strike against his attackers.
The first one went down with barely93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡns9qvPceKP
any effort. He sidestepped out of the way and ran him through. He blocked a93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveiYNiD6xQ
strike from the next one then pushed him aside, but soon he was overpowered by93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33eJW60iqP
the sheer volume of people. As he raised his sword, one kicked his wrist93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnkNYtnKtT
sending it spiraling out of his hand. He was punched in the jaw and knocked to93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxrP66QTZg
the ground. He tried to fight back, but several pinned his arms and pointed a93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMumhMCLQE
sword right at his neck.
“Stop!” Vander heard Eve shout. She93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQP6abOc0uV
pushed her way through the group and if he held out any hope that she hadn’t93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGegc4H5Hnw
betrayed them the look in her eyes combined with what she was wearing sealed93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpmQyNykKB
her betrayal in stone.
She wore a sleeveless green shirt93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4r7YZR4YLd
showing off lean muscles and a massive snake tattoo going down her left arm.93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0A8SGr9QC
Her hair was pulled back but covered with a green hood. She wore two daggers on93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UZLTrI3DF
her belt.
“So, you did betray us.” Vander spat.
“Betray you?” she laughed. “I was93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUshNOq9ZE
never apart of you.” Now that he got a good look at her, he realized that she93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvVYE1vo8N
had been messing with him from the beginning. She was broader than she looked93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNIlIsXKer
before, more heavily muscled. She wasn’t sixteen, she was likely someone older93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4qTcMJIE0
than he was. It also explained the gaps in the recruits’ skills. She had been93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwQTfCb6t0
playing them for fools since the very beginning.
“They trusted you,” Vander struggled.93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7V3JY4B8Km
“I trusted you.”93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXQlWtDd2R
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“I’ll have to make a visit to93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHeWMdveQk
whoever your informant is.” She grinned. “He almost ruined everything, but93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgt2rkwf6cg
luckily you were so easy to fool. Get him up.” Vander was hauled to his feet by93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4zamWfh1k
several strong hands. “We will take what we need from you then I will spend a93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3Sb909KdP
lot more time cutting you to pieces. I’ve always wanted to hear you scream.”
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Maybe, just maybe, Peyton will come93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtmfWMvqE1
here himself that way he could show everyone that he was innocent. He would93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvtl8tlQBq
have to bide his time and wait, however. Hopefully his reinforcements would93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0kpWOYa2I
arrive to save them, but he shouldn’t count on it. If Peyton knew they were93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKjRSwK2mi
mobilizing the army he would make it quick. For now, he willed his body to93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3b4RExlV1o
relax. However, he wasn’t going to let them get away with it. He and the demon93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4yOlNHaQt
were going to have a lot of fun before they were killed.
