Royal Assassin

Chapter 16

Jaden was almost at the edge of the forest entrance. This was all going according to plan. She only had a dagger under her dress – a dagger that was already dipped with poisons. Handling the guards would be easy. And she just needed Ethan to finish things off.

“You’re cornered, Jadelyne, or should I say Ruby Assassin?” Ethan’s triumph voice didn’t waver Jaden one bit. She pulled up her gown to get her blade. “My, someone might get mad if you expose your skin like that. Oh, wait but he’s dead!”

And she lunged forward. The rage in her eyes was eminent as she moved toward Ethan. For a moment, Ethan was surprised by her reaction but unfortunately his guards were rather competent tonight and they managed to restrain Jaden’s hand which was holding the blade. The action was followed by several looped ropes thrown at her other hand and her legs. But she managed to pull the ropes held by the dozen guards around her.

The guards were also pulled by her unbelievable strength. But she was still tangled with those bothersome ropes. And it wasn’t long that other guards were coming and threw chains and ropes to contain her. She struggled with all her might but the metal chains that were wrapping her arms and legs hindered her actions. She didn’t see that coming, nor did she ever think how strong the metallic chains around her were.

Ethan was relieved and smirked in her view. “Now wouldn’t it be better if you had finished the job when I wasn’t around, instead of dropping to such disgrace? Even if you are an assassin, you are still royalty”. Jaden could only glare ferociously that the intensity in her gaze caused the blue color in her eyes to be dyed completely crimson. For the first time, her eyes were bloodshot red. The calm inherited blue hue in her eyes was dominantly replaced by her raging fury. Ethan only felt amused to think he had the upper hand, again.

“So what are you going to do about me?” Jaden snarled. “Kill me, I presume?”

“Oh, I have better plans for you. Now think my brilliant assassin, when I’m King of Gallant, all the other kingdoms will bow down to me. There’s no better way to reap the wealth of those lands and feed the yield to those who deserve it – us!”

No wonder Wilson and Ethan betrayed their King, because they wanted to be one! Someone who wished to conquer and fueled by greed.

“And where do I fit into this picture?” Jaden had regained her composure but the ruby stone in her eyes hadn’t diminished.

Ethan was surprised to hear Jaden talked back at him. He went down and cupped her face. His eyes bored onto her intense crimson eyes. “You would be more than an assassin but my own personal weapon. I’m going to dip you in more hardships and poisons to make you sharp. You will help me lead many wars. And I’m going to make you invincible, a beautiful monster”.

Jaden was really disgusted by his plans but she needed him close. And she was almost there to find an opening when suddenly, “STOP THIS INSTANT!”

Everyone turned. Jaden knew that voice but she still looked at the direction where the sound was coming from. She didn’t expect him to be here, seeing all these…

Ethan glanced at Jaden and was looking more angered. Now he knew she didn’t kill him, at all. “Justin! You’re alive, thank goodness!” he lied through his bright smile. “I was reprimanding this being who attempted to kill you”.

Jaden didn’t know what to do or say. Looking at Justin seeing her this way, she wanted to run away from him. She didn’t know why but she felt wrong, ashamed to see him this way – herself exposed of the crimes she would inflict on his cousin.

“Cousin, I suggest you don’t come near…” said Ethan.

But Justin charged forward instead toward Jaden. And Jaden was ready for any kind of punishment her husband, if she was still deserving to call him as, was going to give her. She braced herself with her eyes closed.

But instead Justin embraced her whole body tightly and lovingly. Jaden was surprised. The guards around her lowered their weapons and backed down slowly.

“Didn’t I tell you on our first night that you should at least trust me?” He said softly and affectionately, “At least trust me as a husband or an ally in this foreign land for you, remember?”

Jaden didn’t know what to respond. She was overwhelmed by his actions. And she felt for the first time she was saved, by him. Tears were welling up in her eyes.

“S-so you knew?” Jaden spoke softly.

And Justin only patted and caressed her back. “Uh-huh”, he admitted. His hold on her was warm and emotionally breaking down every bit of Jaden’s defense. “There, there it’s okay…”

But hearing him say it was okay only made her tears ran smoothly down her cheeks. How could you be fine with what I’ve done up until now? Jaden’s tears meant that. However, Justin took a look at her face and her fiery eyes that were spilling blue tears and wiped them away.

The married couple was in a world of their own.

For a few moments, Jaden felt like a small child. She cherished a few seconds of this warmth even though she felt she no longer deserved it. Infact, the attention from her siblings and her husband, she shouldn’t receive this kind of privilege after all the sins she bored to banish the sinned.

Jaden felt a shadow coming upon them and that was when she remembered. She pushed Justin aside and was ready to lunge her dagger when a long thin sword was already pointed toward Ethan’s chin.

“Justin?” Jaden was surprised. His opened left hand was holding the sword unwaveringly while his other arm was firmly wrapping around Jaden, truly protecting her.

“Don’t hurt her”, he almost growled. For the first time, Jaden saw true anger in his eyes.

“My, my, my, are you blinded? Have you fallen in love with an assassin?” Ethan was still composed and arrogant as ever.

“You’re the bigger criminal here”, a voice spoke from behind. And a pointed blade was positioned at the center of Ethan’s back, waiting to pierce through. The wielder of the blade belonged to none other than Cassandra, the Royal Vast Queen.

Ethan was still smiling, “And what about you, your highness? You used your own sister to get rid of the men you hated”.

Ethan received a poke instead. “All those men were your filthy Gallant’s traitor! They exploited my people and you have the nerve to blind the Council with your innocence. Luckily, I already knew you were the one I have to destroy”, said Cassandra sounding more determined to Jaden and Justin’s disbelief.

“Oh? And what makes you so confident about that?”

“Have you forgotten Ethan? The time when we were five?”

Looking at those two, Jaden had realized something. The cool and easy way Cassandra handled Ethan and how easy he came in and out of Vast. It seemed they already had something that ran deeper even before Jaden knew what war was about let alone Justin. He didn’t exist back then when the three of them were children, infact when those two were in their childhood.

Cassandra took a deep breath and steadied her hold on her weapon. She began to explain, “Wilson Jeremiere, late brother to the late King of Gallant, late father of Ethan Jeremiere, late uncle of Justin Jeremiere – he was a great man who was tragically consumed by his own devil, envy and greed. Sadly, by the time you and I met, he had already plans of his own…”

And Cassandra unraveled the truth beyond truth, of what had actually happened and how Ethan and her came to be, and how Justin and Jaden came into the picture.