A Gamblers Luck | Jesper Fahey

Revenge

Eliana's breathing quickened, her heart felt like it was going to stop. She had imagined finding the man who killed her family every day since their murders occurred. She had imagined breaking every bone in his body, slowly, painfully, relishing in his screams of pain. She wanted him to suffer, suffer as her family had.  

Your deaths were not in vain. I will avenge you. 

She had whispered those words silently into her pillow each night. Not to a saint, or higher power. But to herself. The initial shock of seeing the Druskelle had worn off. It was replaced with a flame of cold rage. Rage stronger than deadliest storm. Rage strong enough to tear apart mountains. Her rage was the light at the end of the tunnel, pulling her out of her helplessness and offering her redemption. She would not waste it. But it was not rage that guided her next movements. No, for him to suffer she needed her wits about her. She plastered on an apologetic smile and walked towards the Druskelle.

"Sir?" Eliana asked in perfect Fjerdan. "If I may, my friends and I have a terribly important business meeting to attend to and must be on our way." 

"A business meeting?" He asked, not quite believing her. 

"Yes. A terribly important one discussing the future of the Jurda trade between Fjerda and Novyi Zem," she tried to put as much emphasis on the importance of the meeting as she could. She chose to make their fake meeting about Jurda because of parem. If the man was smart, he would assume as much and let them go. If not, she was confident Nina could take him out discreetly. 

Understanding dawned over the mans hard face as he said, "Okay. Off with you guys." The gang started to walk away but Eliana stayed behind.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Eliana mumbled to Kaz. He gave her a look she couldn't quite decipher. She turned around observing the city. Finally she spotted his gray uniform. Making her way through the street vendors and crowds, she caught up with the man. She raked her hands through her black curls and pinched her cheeks in order to give them a pink tinge. 

"Excuse me?" Eliana said, making her voice quiver a bit. "I think you dropped your wallet!" The Druskelle turned around looked at what Eliana hoped resembled a flustered young lady. She handed him the wallet she swiped from the back of pants minutes ago. 

"Oh! I didn't realize I dropped it!" He exclaimed, with a look of disbelief on his face. "These darn wallets," he mumbled, with a shake of his head. He quickly looked through the wallet then looked towards Eliana. 

"Thank you so much ma'am. However can I repay you?" He said, eyes lingering over her middle for a moment. She stepped closer to him and leaned in. 

"I know how you can repay me," she whispered seductively. His breathing hitched as he grabbed her wrist. She suppressed the tremor that went through her body as he touched her. Guiding her to an empty tunnel used for storage he said, "And how might I please such a beautiful lady?" His lips ghosted against the dip in her neck as she fought the rising bile in her throat.

"Like this." Eliana kicked him the groin and spun him around so his chest was against the wall of the steel tunnel. She grabbed his wrists and pinned them behind his back. His feeble attempt to escape was cut short when she kicked the back of his knees. Crumpling to the floor and gasping for breath he looked towards Eliana.

"Why?" The Druskelle whispered. 

She banged his head against the ground. Blood seeped into the soil. The blow wouldn't kill him. No, she wanted him alive to hear her. 

"Because you killed my family," she spat out. 

A look of horror and then realization crossed his face. "Your a grisha,"  he snarled. She summoned mist over the lake and moved it into the alleyway. 

"Yes," she said, while punching him in the back. His spine gave a sick crack as his broke. He tried to scream, but was choked off by the water filling his lungs. 

"A clean death is to kind for you," she growled into his ear. With a flick of her wrist the water in his mouth moved down to his stomach and turned boiling hot. He rolled into the fetal position. 

"Please... Stop it," he moaned.

"May your God forgive you, for I cannot." She stood over him as she watched his clear blue eyes turn cloudy, and the glazed over. 

She stood there for a few minutes. The sound of footsteps filled the tunnel. She tried to gather the mist to cover herself. 

"Hey, El. Its me."

Jesper. 

Oh saints.

"El? Whats taking you so long?" he questioned. He walked up behind her and stopped at the sight of the body on the ground. 

"Saints," he breathed. "What did you do?" 

"I killed him." 

"Why?"

She took a deep breath and said, "Because he killed my family." 

Jesper didn't say anything and instead, grabbed the bodies feet. He dragged it towards an opening to the sewer. Eliana grabbed his hands and wordlessly they dropped the dead man into the opening. He landed with a dull thud. Eliana and Jesper walked away from it. She vowed to leave her past with Druskelles cold, dead body. He grabbed her hand, and together they walked out of the tunnel, towards the light.