Slicer Sisters

Chapter 4

Leila sighed as she kicked her bag under her bed. She was done. Done. She'd been done before she'd even got here, but now she was done. Kidnap the prince? Torture him for information? What was The Board doing? What did they want?

It didn't matter. She didn't care. She wasn't doing this. The Board knew it's operations weren't exactly a secret, but she'd thought it might have the decency to pretend, to act as if they wanted to remain hidden. So what if it didn't need to, so what if The Board could do anything it wanted - if it continued to act so outrageously arrogant people might revolt. The King might decide he couldn't keep turning a blind eye. The Board might have to dissolve.

Good. If it dissolved, she could go back to the forest. Alone. Untroubled. Happy. Leila turned to the window. Right now - she could leave right now if she wanted to. Could swing herself into the roof and run back to the forest. Maybe then they'd finally give up on her, finally stop bothering.

She grabbed the handle and twisted. Nothing. She peered through, to the side of the glass. Bolts - they had bolted her window. Locked her in. Leila strode across the window and jiggled the door handle furiously. It opened, and she stumbled into the hall. She frowned. They had bolted her window, but left her door unlocked?

She retreated back into her room, closing the door behind her. She peered out the window. Scarlett's room was opposite hers, just as it used to be. Her window was bolted as well. She expected Scarlett's door would be locked too, and possibly barricaded. That was the difference between them - The Board was scared of Scarlett. They locked her in because they were terrified of the revenge she might decide to take. The Board was only scared that Leila would run back to the forest.

Her knuckles turned white on the window sill. She was just as good as Scarlett. Better, even, with magic at least. Fear was a kind of respect - a kind she deserved. She could kill all of them, could let the moisture run from their bodies and leave them nothing more than sacks. She could make them suffer, yet they left her door unlocked.

Because she wouldn't. She wouldn't wreck vengeance. She wouldn't hurt them. She didn't care what they did as long as they left her alone. She was done. But Scarlett would. Scarlett would find them and carve them up and smile all the while. She was unpredictable.

Well. Leila wasn't boring.

She could be interesting. She could be wicked and cruel and cold and masterfully terrifying. Maybe she should. She should be feared. She should have people tread around her, should be able to take delight in the meek surrender before she'd even opened her mouth. She could do things just as well as Scarlett could.

Hell, she could take down the Prince without her.

Maybe then they'd fear her, when she strode in, his diadem in her hand. Maybe then they'd bolt her door, keep her separate, hide her away. Maybe they'd even fear her enough to leave her alone. Leila smiled.

She would find the Prince. She would bring him back to The Board. She would procure the information without assistance, and act as if she enjoyed it. Smile as if every second of his pain brought her greater relish. Then they would fear her. Then they would leave her be. Then she could be alone.

Forever.

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