Chapter 10 - The Life in Her Hands

From his seat at the desk, Kylon looked at Morgan as she bolted upright, clutching her throat. Staring wide-eyed at the wall, she tried to calm her erratic heart.

“You alright, Morgan?” His voice was thick with sleep, not bothering with any formality. Running a hand through his hair, he sat up.

“Bad dream,” She looked at him, her thoughts far away. She looked at her hands. The touch of the shadowy hands still lingered, and she wanted nothing more than to crawl out of her skin to be free of it.

“You look like you've seen a ghost. You sure you're okay?” His eyebrows draw together as he watches her.

“I'm fine. We need to leave. Sooner rather than later, tomorrow. Tomorrow, we leave tomorrow.” She stood up with a decisive nod. Her voice shook, and he knew better than to push her on the matter.

“I guess if you're up to it,” The chair groaned as Kylon stood up, stretching with an exaggerated groan. He left the room, scoffing as he passed Luciack. The latter man looked over at Morgan, his face telling her nothing of what he felt.

“What drives a princess to end up in a place like this? An assassin, of all things?” He asked, tilting his head. He stood, crossing over to her. Looking up at him, she clenched her jaw.

“What do you care? It saved your life, didn’t it?” She barked, frowning as he looked down at her with an amused smile.

“Is it so wrong of me to want to know things about my wife?” He leaned in, lifting her chin with a finger. Her stomach fluttered, but she held his gaze fiercely.

“You know I don’t trust you. I have no reason to tell you anything about myself,” She quipped, jerking her chin away and stepping back. The smile on his lips widened.

“Why do you keep saving me, then? If you hate me so much, why not let me die. There’ve been plenty of chances for that,” He took a step forward, raising an eyebrow.

“You’ve given me no reason to want you dead. Until the attack, I was perfectly content with you being alive,” Puffing out her chest, she straightened her spine, glowering at him.

“And what’s changed since then? I’ve found out your little secret?” His breath tickled her ear as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. She stumbled back, her legs buckling as they hit the bed, sharply inhaling as he planted a hand on her back, slowing her fall onto the bed. His knee rested beside her on the bed as he looked down at her.

“Careful.” He cooed. Heart pounding, Morgan stared up at him, heat rising in her cheeks. His eyes never left hers, gaze intense, unfaltering. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared, then hastily pushed him away.

“Get out. I have to change,” She closed her eyes, fists curling up as she fought to quiet her pounding heart. The bed shifted as he stood, a chuckle leaving him as he strode out of the room.

His eyes are so blue... She thought, their image burning in her mind.

She sent him out so she could change, pulling on a soft silver gown. Merry laughter echoed from the main hall, filling her heart with warmth. Her days in the Brotherhood, though they were short, were always wonderful.

“Shadows, Silencers, Grim Fountain! Come to the Fountain,” Allistor's voice carried across the halls, leaving silence in its wake. She headed out of her room and joined the others, filing through the dark, arched doorway. Black stained glass decorated the top of the archway, in the middle of the glass was a Grim. The dog-like creature never ceased to send shivers down her spine. It was always watching, seeing through to her very bones with its glowing eyes.

It was a creature made of shadows, silent, merciless, lurking at the feet of the poor souls doomed to such a fate that lay with the creature. Seeing a grim was bad luck, except for a member in the Brotherhood of the Grim, in which case it was a sign that you have done well. The Prince Ten'schat, honored among their members, was said to have the Grim as a loyal servant to him in life. Upon the Deus' supposed demise, the Grim vanished into the shadows and became a part of them for eternity. Its sole job was to serve its master and his followers.

Once all of them were in, the great black doors were closed and sealed as they always were. The Grim Fountain stood in the center of the room, carved from the finest black granite, smooth and cold to the touch. It was in the shape of a shadowy grim. Water poured out of the grim's mouth, open in a menacing sneer, filling the granite basin around the grim's feet. In place of eyes were gems that contained a soul, a demon's soul, and glowed red. The statue's tail curved above the creature's head, horns jutted out the sides of the head and curled inwards. The carved ribs of the creature jutted out in great detail, as though starvation set in. The creature stood on four legs, with clawed feet edged with blood-red stone. It was taller than any of the members were, sitting about ten feet high.

“Grim Fountain,” Allistor calls out.

“Grim Fountain!” Kylon and Morgan called back.

“Shadow Silencers,” He called next. Four voices echoed, three female and one male. Everyone knew what came next.

“The Shadow Silencers protect the Brotherhood. One with the shadows of the night. The Grim aids those in need. The Grim Fountain serves Ten'schat loyally.” They said in unison.

“First order of business, Anyndel,” Allistor's eyes locked with Morgan's. She broke the stare, brows furrowed. He was one of the few who knew her given name. “We have to decide what we are to do with your husband.” He spits out the word like the name of an enemy. She sighed.

“Kill him, for all I care,” She muttered, crossing her arms. It would only hold her back to have him around, anyway. It’s not like I cared about him. He was nothing more than a stranger that she shared a last name with.

“I would be willing to do that,” Kylon offered with a devilish grin.

“No. No one will be killing him,” Alice, leader of the Shadow Silencers, said and looked at both her and Kylon. “If anything, we could send him back to the wretched hole he came from.”

A few murmured their agreement. Morgan bit her tongue, letting the silence drag on for a few more moments.

“We all know that won't work,” She put her head in one hand. “He'll become too attached to me before we can get that to work.”

“We could send him with you...” Grasien said with a thoughtful look. “Or I could poison his food, I believe he's seen too much of our Sanctuary to be left alive,” Being the Master Alchemist of the Brotherhood, it was the expected solution coming from him.

“What do you mean, send him with her, Grasien?” Evie, a usually quiet Silencer, looked at him. He looked toward where she stood.

“Has she not said? She's leaving on an adventure with Kylon.”

“Grasien, shut up.” The words came out harsher than she wanted them to. Gritting her teeth, she steeled herself for whatever was to come.

“I don't want a third person anyway,” Kylon pouted like a child. Typical, always wanting to have it his way.

“He's coming with us, whether you like it or not. We'll leave him in Shadow Mountain when we get the chance,” She said, her voice made it clear that the conversation was over. The arguing was never going to stop if she didn’t say stop it. As much as she didn’t like it, he would have to tag along.

“Alright, it's settled.” Allistor nodded and continued on with business.