Chapter 40
Vander rushed out from behind the tree109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwoBHPzkrn
and immediately rolled to the ground as two arrows embedded themselves in the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8onxCx404L
dirt right where he had been standing. Despite being assassins and spies, it109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yEHEhJil8
seemed as though the Green Serpents were crack shots with the bow, but he109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6tFg5yg4h
decided to see what would happen when they faced someone who was expecting109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtPCND5bf9
them. He scooped up a couple of rocks from off the ground and palmed them as he109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lrIpU7lEQ
charged his enemies.
More109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGi7wX2jt8g
arrows were thrown at him, but it seemed as though they were drawn quickly109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjVOjdbLBs
without much aim. Some whizzed over his head while others got stuck in the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMJgtGDOR8
ground a few feet in front of him. One came dangerously close to him, but he109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfQDx9jh0g
smacked it away with his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4bAPxGe6t
movement. Taking quick aim, he threw a rock hitting a Serpent’s shooting hand.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnmTWs5dqW
With a cry of pain, he dropped the bow, but drew a knife instead.
“I’ll109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxBDpUhsYJ
gut you.” He snarled and rushed him with the dagger poised low. Vander stepped109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MUEfCZaQX
back as the dagger was thrusted forward. He grabbed the serpent’s arm and109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OWIpz8AEG
yanked the poor man off his feet before slamming his palm into the guy’s nose.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyygKmIh8so
Blood spurted as his nose broke and embedded itself into the brain, killing him109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aFkQUCZKu
instantly. He quickly lifted the body up as two arrows hit him in the back. He109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuQJ3INjc0
rushed forward using the freshly made corpse as protection until he could see109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79CaMgrQYb
who he was looking for: three Serpents standing in front of him.
Unlike109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnCcpr1vpL
the one he had just killed, these three looked like veterans. They had deep109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30a2fpd96I
green face paint and wore outfits that helped them blend into their109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJrT2PPRFw
surroundings. There was a hardened look in their eyes as they stared at him.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbU6bjfWs2v
Knowing their bows would be useless if close combat, they lowered them to the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakvAX9EwvP
ground then removed their quivers. Each one removed a large knife from the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1xqhXNrAO
sheathe strapped to their backs.
“You109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjUMjirpjR
might be a Blade, but you aren’t a match for all three of us.” One of them109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUyD9ZZqLD
growled. As if practiced, they spread out keeping Vander between them. From109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDGwD3TqdE
here he could tell that the knives were poisoned, one wayward scratch would109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLbt3Tew8x
send him to the afterlife, but he couldn’t stay here as he was. That was just109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv4VhI7SRV
asking to be killed.
Vander109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItvDlqGT8u
threw the dead serpent at the one in front of him. As he fell scream in a109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMMN1tlVPi
tangle of bodies, Vander went to the left to handle the one there. He slashed109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksMnKxzWfS
with his sword, but the serpent was nimble. He rolled over the sword strike,109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5EXMKl4jN
landing on his feet. He stabbed with the daggers, but Vander grabbed the wrist,109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokbEcSR98d
guiding it away from him. He kicked out the back of the leg sending the Serpent109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwc7XGe9lHt
to the ground. As he fell, he brought his boot up catching Vander in the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ujn3vbhwD
stomach and sending him flying onto his back. He rolled and brought his sword109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIyEwpwKsb
up in time to block the second serpent’s daggers. He pushed him stumbling109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8NTXif1od
sideways then scrambled to his feet. Before the serpent could adjust, Vander109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46Lc1dDhVq
slashed his back open with his sword.
Blood109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghgz4RvTl0
sprayed as the man stumbled and fell to the ground. There was no time to check109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP89LlO1eqS
to make sure he was dead as another was on him. The man was a whirlwind with109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLpF1xdAOQ
his daggers, spinning, slashing, and stabbing. The dagger cut his pants,109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMn7UFdtpxZ
jacket, and shirt, but luckily it wasn’t deep enough to draw blood, but soon109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz92qTPTZB6
enough he could get past his guard. He wanted to keep one alive for109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdwU0NHovg
interrogation, but that didn’t seem like it would be likely. So, he waited for109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmT85RtlmOs
a brief opening before cutting down with the sword. With a scream, one of the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiI5aBKpdY
serpents’ hands hit the ground in a bloody heap. Before he could scream more,109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3iPYu9x5Q
Vander cut his throat.
“Die!” The serpent who had been109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyClfbYcTI
tangled up jumped from behind him. Panic raced in Vander’s chest. He had109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4SpPpwQj5
forgotten about him and now it was too late for him to protect himself as the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNg9VtqsKBP
daggers raced towards his throat. Acting on instinct, he lunged underneath the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kEzy36ImW
daggers grabbing the serpent around the waist bringing them both to the ground.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOz4IAEZFDe
Vander’s fingers turned to claws as he tore out the man’s throat.
He could feel the demon clawing109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDjCcbedzI
closer to the surface. It wanted out, a way to release its aggressions, but now109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppLILfKexK
was not the time. Vander bit down on the impulse shoving the beast back into109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW73Ih2dWzO
the recesses of his soul. Soon, but not now. He had to get Kiara and Eliza back109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjw1NzTIZ2e
first then all hell could break loose.
Vander spent some time going109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHewmJlwdRE
through the pockets of the dead serpents to see if they had left behind any109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoiKB5suYL
tools for him to use. He found several poisoned knives and needles, but the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgzKEvf0d2
rest were weapons that would be too much for him to carry so he discarded them.
Before leaving109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOpGPWEW2H
the area, he dragged Briar and Forest’s bodies back towards the road. He never109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehMkjADxN2
should have brought them here. This was his penance and his alone. Now they109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrCLaEhEgO
were dead. He would have to carry that burden, but he swore he would make the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllxezPbWyj
Serpents, and Eve, pay for what they had done.
He remembered the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFY5Hw8IVJ
village from his travels across the country. He knew that it would be heavily109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtMxcv8Q23
fortified, especially now that the challenge had been issues towards him to get109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqmyXDoaKR
the queen back. He would have to come prepared. So, he scooped up a bow along with109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3o9gUnLQzT
a quiver of arrows. They would know he was there, but only after some of them109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgJuJPWGS2
had died.
The sun was109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVHOoCPUuB
beginning to rise when he spotted the walls through the forest. The village was109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwB9vGNC7Q
aptly named because it bordered the forest. This was a hunting village, taking109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJICCVu2e87
out small game and deer to feed everyone. He wasn’t quite sure when the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwwm7nVEMc
Serpents moved in, but it must have been recently as they have had no reports109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEQX55ciQA
of the village being under attack.
As he looked at109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyAenSz87v
the front gate, he noticed several men wearing green cloaks and talking amongst109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODT8cJjbwN
themselves. Without caring about who they were, Vander notched an arrow to his109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCeiAmB7zL
bow, took aim, then fired. The arrow took a guard in the throat and before the109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtQKvERqc6
others could react, several more arrows flew into parts of their body. One took109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnGNC4Xznb
an arrow in the shoulder, while the third took one through the knee. Both went109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LBQsRYX8B
down screaming, but they weren’t killing shots. It was enough to bring more109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PQv4ugXtT
Serpents out for him to kill.
They were pouring out of the village109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdt54csttF
now to get vengeance for their fallen comrades. He only had time to take down109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYxiMSnI0N
two more before the rest were on him. He tossed aside the bow and quiver and109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3h2qd9Cf6
drew his sword to strike against his attackers.
The first one went down with barely109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgcF0WgifT
any effort. He sidestepped out of the way and ran him through. He blocked a109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2w1PyoEkv
strike from the next one then pushed him aside, but soon he was overpowered by109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBos30T5mV2
the sheer volume of people. As he raised his sword, one kicked his wrist109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklrcIQXfEE
sending it spiraling out of his hand. He was punched in the jaw and knocked to109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFH1DlTVlU1
the ground. He tried to fight back, but several pinned his arms and pointed a109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTvytPKc5k
sword right at his neck.
“Stop!” Vander heard Eve shout. She109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1D8fQ9UEFW
pushed her way through the group and if he held out any hope that she hadn’t109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnR8TjWK55
betrayed them the look in her eyes combined with what she was wearing sealed109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64p3VwXP4n
her betrayal in stone.
She wore a sleeveless green shirt109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFwcZSvD89
showing off lean muscles and a massive snake tattoo going down her left arm.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlwegbxP0T
Her hair was pulled back but covered with a green hood. She wore two daggers on109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1XK65lkXB
her belt.
“So, you did betray us.” Vander spat.
“Betray you?” she laughed. “I was109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3pdJdob0l
never apart of you.” Now that he got a good look at her, he realized that she109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBURAjqdD0
had been messing with him from the beginning. She was broader than she looked109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpBWIqnT1Z
before, more heavily muscled. She wasn’t sixteen, she was likely someone older109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPLNYKpKwd
than he was. It also explained the gaps in the recruits’ skills. She had been109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oTzbv80CS
playing them for fools since the very beginning.
“They trusted you,” Vander struggled.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyCIPPlwhr
“I trusted you.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVR6wjZ1l0P
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“I’ll have to make a visit to109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLR9dddDnit
whoever your informant is.” She grinned. “He almost ruined everything, but109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDjLIeWZtJ
luckily you were so easy to fool. Get him up.” Vander was hauled to his feet by109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jnJIy01jj
several strong hands. “We will take what we need from you then I will spend a109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCame1J9Krj
lot more time cutting you to pieces. I’ve always wanted to hear you scream.”
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Maybe, just maybe, Peyton will come109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JrI0bPhsj
here himself that way he could show everyone that he was innocent. He would109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnYJ5q5x7R
have to bide his time and wait, however. Hopefully his reinforcements would109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEe12yDgpuV
arrive to save them, but he shouldn’t count on it. If Peyton knew they were109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqzUqcpj5Q
mobilizing the army he would make it quick. For now, he willed his body to109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5vAvToBpc
relax. However, he wasn’t going to let them get away with it. He and the demon109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQi0PcPiDAa
were going to have a lot of fun before they were killed.
