The Thief

Chapter 53

I got up as quickly as I could planning to make my way out of the room when I was stopped by a hand desperately grabbing onto my shirt. Isaac who was barely conscious held onto it in a desperate attempt to keep me here.

"D... Don't go."

"I have to."

"But if... Y...you go you will... Die..." His scratchy broken voice was panicked.

"I will not and when I am done, I will come back for you." I tried to quickly reassure him.

"P... Promise?" he rasped out.

I could not answer so I gently loosened his hold on my shirt and gave him a sad smile which I doubt he could see.

"I have to go now. Stay here where you are safe no matter what happens." I did not give him a chance to reply as I hurriedly left the room.

I gently and quietly pushed open the hidden door at the end of the passage so as not to be noticed.

The door opened to a darkened corner just just off to the side of all the fighting. Before I even dared to step out I quickly analysed the area and that's when I saw it.

Moving in the shadows was Josiah's imposter heading in the Prince's direction glinting as parts of his amour caught the light. It was Richard with his sword at hand ready to strike a sneak attack on the Prince.

My body reacted before my mind could even think. I darted towards one of the fallen soldiers, picked up their sword in the nick of time and just managed to block him before he struck the Prince.

The loud clang of metal could be heard as our swords clashed. The blow threw us both temporarily off balance. Prince Edward and his opponent barely spared us a glance before continuing their fight careful not to lose focus.

My attention was solely on Richard now. From the power of that blow and the way he moved, I could clearly tell that he was stronger than me.

I needed to think on a way to some how take him down before he takes me down first but unfortunately he was not giving me a chance to do anything as he continuously rained down an onslaught of deadly blows quickly chipping away at my weak defence.

"Why would... Why would you pretend to be Josiah?" I barely managed to say while trying to catch my breath as the blows kept on coming.

Richard seemed slightly thrown off by my words obviously not expecting them at all and his next moves were a little sloppy.

"Oh?" His voice was notably deeper than his twin as he tried to brush it off.

"You killed him. Why?"

Richard's blows got stronger.

"Some sacrifices need to be made for the greater good."

"Pathetic excuse for killing your own flesh and blood." I spat out.

"You know nothing!" Richard gave a huge swing of the sword, I barely managed to dodge it but it sliced part of my sleeve open.

"I know more than you think."

"What could a pathetic woman like you know?" He snarled out not expecting an answer back.

"You not only killed your twin brother but you murdered the Queen-" I was cut off when he managed to break my defence and land a vital blow to my side.

I fell to my knees, blood started flowing out staining the ground. I placed my one hand on my side to try stop the bleeding. Richard was making his way forward to me to hand me the final blow.

"You talk to much." He kicked the sword out of my hand and roughly grabbed my chin. "Pity, you are quite beautiful but I have to kill you now." He let go and stood back grabbing his sword with both hands.

"You can't kill me." I smirked trying my best to ignore the immense amount of pain I was feeling.

"We will see about that." He got into position about to swing his sword back.

"Isaac."

With that single word I managed to stop Richards attack last second.

"What the fuck did you just say?!" he dropped his sword completely and shot forward grabbing me by the throat and lifting me up in the air.

My bloodied hands automatically tried to peel away his arm as he was restricting all air movement through my windpipe.

Richard was livid and extremely upset. Who the hell was Isaac?!

In all my panic while gasping for air, my right hand let go of his arm and almost instinctively moved down at record speeds into my boot to pull out my dagger that was still hidden away there.

Even though I believed that I could never use it again after it was used to decapitate Tyron, the memory was pushed aside and I plunged the dagger with all my might into Richards neck.

It went straight through and his hold on me immediately loosened. I fell to the ground with a loud thump coughing and gasping as I tried to catch my breath.

Richard clutched the dagger and ripped it out throwing it to the ground. He immediately clutched his throat with both hands and started drowning in his own blood. Eventually he fell to his knees staring at me wide eyes before falling face first on the ground as all life left him.

I was in to much pain to move and desperately clutched my side trying my hardest to stop the bleeding and apply pressure to my wound.

The Prince was still in a heated battle with the beautiful women while the other two soldiers who were fighting had already killed each other.

I could see more of the woman's face from this angle and I noticed something about her, her eyes were a similar colour to Isaacs, just a shade or two lighter.

Before I could ponder more on this pointless thought, Prince Edward was knocked down to his feet as she had tricked him with her movements. She then proceeded to pull back her sword and aim to stab him through the neck but he managed to deflect and instead the blade pierced right through his shoulder. While it was still in there she kicked him with the heel of her foot right in the nose and I heard a sickening crack as he collapsed.

Slow yet loud clapping was soon heard. It was tauntingly bittersweet as the one person I truly hate in this world slowly emerged from the shadows, his eyes only focused on the Prince and the lady he was fighting causing them both temporarily stop trying to take down each other.

"My my my, look what we have here." Patrick laughed.

"Oi! We had a deal! I gave you and army now tell me where he is!" The women pulled her sword from Prince Edward and aimed it at Patrick.

"Now calm down Princess Isla." Patrick held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Don't tell me to fucking calm down!"

"A lady, especially a princess, should not use such speech."

"Tell me where my brother is or I will destroy you." She threatened.

Patrick's eyes raked the area seemingly unbothered by her threat, he eyed Edward for a bit before moving to the dead bodies and stopping on Richard. Not a second later his eyes shot to me, I could see a fiery anger burning in them. The anger intensified when he recognised me.

"I will tell you where Isaac is if you bring me her head first." He pointed at me.