Templar Knights

Sitting in the alleyway munching on buttery bread while I waited, tears streamed from my eyes. It was so good! And warm, I just wanted to melt onto the ground. I couldn't help it. The bread was both nutty, sweet, and salty. Crunchy on the outside, with the perfect softness on the inside.

"You're an odd one, aren't you," Eryth softly mentioned, leaning over the wall with an odd expression. "It's only bread."

"It's life!" I retorted, frightened to finish the last piece of bread. " butter and bread are life. When you're hungry and lazy, butter and bread will fill your tummy."

"As poise as you are, I'd thought you were from a high-class family," Eryth said, raising the whisky glass to his lips. "Don't you have servants?"

"In my house?" I laughed." Where gunshots are the norm? Gods no. My home is a battlefield. No one aside from the best of the best would live. I can't even bring friends over for fear of what might happen. Not that I have any."

"No friends? A pretty girl like you?"

I smirked, nibbling on the ends of my bread, " No need to tease. It's true. By the time I could walk, Father showed me how to kill someone with over seventy weapons. He taught me how to cut a man's throat so that he'd not even realize it before the light in his eyes vanished. I think I was only one year of age at the time."

"Sounds lonely."

I almost laughed. Lonely? I've never understood such a thing—human contact was off-putting. I hated it—the quiet. It was all I wished. To study the universe and eat. It was the only thing that mattered. Mother and father had an insane marriage. Crowe had dozens of women. Uncle Zariel had politics, Aunty Aurelia had food, and I had science. Maybe the first thirteen years of my life were noisy, but once I turned fourteen, everything quieted down once I learned everything from Father.

"Far from it," I finally answered. "It was just different from what people are used to." I turned to him, "I'm a warrior, and it was fun. It truly was. Fighting for my life each day. Learning new things each second of the day was magical. Child abuse but fun."

"Sounds like Stockholm Syndrome, " Said Eryth chuckling as I joined in.

"Sorry for the wait!" Old Yalvo said, wiping his brow full of sweat. " I've resealed the gate and notified the council. Inquisitor Snow, while your title is a little unofficial, you will be rewarded by the council for this discovery. We of Blackpool, thank you." He bowed, cuffing his arms to his chest. " Also, and probably what you care most about is a prize from me." I nodded, garnering a chuckle, " Fair enough. I've prepared quite a dish for you. It's almost done, so wait a little longer."

"Are the templar knights getting involved?" Questioned Eryth, and Yalvo nodded with a frown.

"I'm part of the council, so of course. Two inquisitors will also be appearing by night's end." He wearily answered, shaking his head with dismay bordering bitterness.

"Don't worry about the restaurant, my friend. I've already sent out word to the guild. You'll have round-the-clock security. I've even secured a few arcanists. Everything will be fine." Eryth assured, patting his shoulders.

"Thank you, my friend. Now let's get you all fed—especially you, girl. Your thin as a stick." he stated and scurried off.

"Templar Knights?" I questioned.

"Yeah, a centralized organization of knights forged to protect Blackpool and the Council. " Eryth explained his tone a little hard. " They make regular trips to the City of Dead, so they know their way through that labyrinth."

My eyes narrowed as my senses reached out, picking up on an iciness that traced over my blood, turning my heart to stone.

"Enemies?" I heard myself say, consumed in bloodlust.

"Stop it." Eryth snarled, baring his fangs. "I don't like you peeping into my mind."

Caging my abilities that seemed to activate independently, my head bowed, "Sorry, I can't control it."

"It's fine, but try not to let what you sense get away from you. That ability is dangerous if used correctly. You can either be a slave to its grip and die to another person's emotions or master it and rein over the heads of your enemies."

Silence dawned once again.

I was somewhat unsure what to say next as it was a little awkward, but it was silent again. Even if it was an awkward silence, I didn't mind but welcomed it.

People are so strange. What does it matter if I can sense his feelings? People show expressions all day. Why does it matter if I can feel it? It's so stupid. It's not like I can read their minds. Maybe I'm missing something. Hmm, is this what people call a violation of privacy?

Aw, forget it, back to my bread. Enter mama's belly! Yum-Yum-Yum!

Happily content. By the time Old Yalvo had returned, a scent of the divine had trickled over my nose. I shot to my feet, straightening my spine, and stared dead at what hung in his hand.

He snapped, and one by one, people brought a dining table and a chair, setting them with a fork, knife, tablecloth, and a candle before leaving without a word.

"Sorry for the wait," He remarked. "For the lady, I've prepared one of my favorites Iron Blood, Drakes. A lesser breed of dragon," he said, continuing on as a scent that made my knees weak slithered down the core of my being. "Dry aged for six months and basted with the usual garlic, rosemary, and butter, cooked to medium rare and plated with special potatoes found only in the Minor Plane known as Gaia, we made complex mashed potato, mixing with the bone marrow of a Sylan Phoenix to boast, to help compliment the yang of the Iron Blood Drake with some yin."

My stomach growled like a starved lion. "Was the butter browned when basting?"

"Yes."

"How is the crust?"

"Perfectly chard, but wall-to-wall pink on the inside," Answered Yalvo skillfully, resting the dish in front of me, " We've even smoked it if you cared to know."

I looked at the old man, whose eyes seemed to glow with anticipation as he stared at me with a smile that made my heart pinch for some reason. And he turned to Eryth, ' As for you, I've—"

"I know what it is, and I thank you. I'll join you tomorrow to pay respects."

Yalvo bowed without another word and took his leave.

Lifting my fork and knife, a tremor of pure anticipation whistled through my soul, rattling the core of my being like a drum. I cut in, allowing the divine nectar to leak from the perfect pinkness, glistering like pink sapphires. My stomach dipped in the most pleasurable way. I lifted the steak to my lips, biting down on the crunch that made my eyes wide, following the explosion of flavor and life coiling around me.

[Ding]