J.A.N.E(book 1)

CHAPTER SEVEN.

   𝖪𝖺𝗋𝗒𝗇
      Slade punches me in the gut and I take it, moving to the side and slamming my fist into his side. He doesn't even seem to feel the pain as he takes it and raises his fist to give me an uppercut. I sidestep him quickly, evading the punch, but he's relentless, and he doesn't even seem to feel any pain. I look to my side and discover that Maisey and Daphne aren't having better luck. I spot Raptor taking a swing at  Maisey, and she falls backward, wincing.
           He advances towards her, his dazed eyes narrowed with killing intent. Maisey backs away slowly, her eyes glazed with fear.
         "Stop! Stop, I'll come with you. Don't hurt my friends, please." I suddenly call out, and the fighting ceases. Slade sneers, extending his hand to grab my bicep. Just before his hands grab mine, it is locked in a vice-like grip. My eyes widen as I look up to stare into a pair of dark grey eyes. It's Arem.
           "I don't believe the lady wants to accompany you." He mutters in a calm voice. His inked hands drops Slade's, and pushes me behind him.
            "Who the hell do you think you are?" Slade growls, raising his fist to hit Arem. Arem catches Slade's fist mid-air, smacking him across the throat, hard. Slade falls to the ground in a heap. From the corner of my eyes, I see Asher and Calen protecting Maisey and Daphne while Jasper makes swift work of Raptor. I honestly find it surprising how I recognize each of them. One of the four assassins suddenly strike out, aiming for Arem while his back is turned.
            
          I grab his fist, bringing it down to my knee hard, satisfied when I hear the bone crack. I connect my fist with his jaw, twisting the broken hand and pushing him down to the ground. He yells loudly, his face twisted in a grimace as he falls backward, hitting the ground with a thud and slamming his head on a nearby rock. His eyes, turn dim and lifeless, his mouth turning slack. I step backwards, realization dawning on me as his lifeless eyes stare up into mine. My footsteps become shaky, my hands shaking slightly until I slam into something hard. I continue shaking my head, until an arm comes around me, grounding me.
         "Enough !" A dark accented voice thunders from behind me. Dazed, I turn around and look up. Arem is behind me, his arm wrapped around me. His eyes are stormy and the words dance out of his mouth.
          "These are students under the protection of the academy. You have no right to attack any of them. Turn around and leave. While you still can." He mutters the last part darkly. Slade who's still on the ground, narrows his eyes at me, before standing and dusting his clothes,looking as though he can't seem to decide between remaining here to fight or leaving. He seems to realize that it's a fight he can't win as he glances at the fallen man;who's bleeding into the earth, before glaring darkly at me.
    
          "You'll regret this." He mutters, giving a sharp whistle and the rest join him, sneering at me.
         "She killed Russo, Slade. We can't simply leave." Raptor hisses. Slade turns around to glare at him.
         "By all means, be my guest." Slade growls, clicking his tongue and the other assassin follows. Raptor glares at me, his eyes boring into mine.
         "One of ours has fallen at your hand, unknown. Take one step out of the academy again without your bodyguards and your mine." He snarls, turning around to join his comrades. When he leaves, I turn around, facing the person that had come to my aid.
             Arem's eyes are swirling mists of grey, his full lips pursed. He has a faint scar below his right ear which extends to the top of his jaw. An intricate design is inked accross his skin from his neck down to his fingers.
           "Karyn?" Someone mutters my name but I don't bother checking to see who it is, my gaze locked on Arem's eyes, the swirling depths sucking me in, swirling and swirling and..........

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Arem
       She hits the ground hard, her slender body bouncing on impact, her raven curls framing her face. I lift her from the ground gently,cursing softly for not getting to her in time, brushing her hair away from her face before opening a walkway and leaving the place ignoring the murmurs of protests from her friends.
        I place her in the capable hands of Emerald, the academy's healer. Once she's been placed comfortably on a bed, Emerald checks on her, whispering soft lyrical words and moving her slender fingers above her closed eyes. Karyn visibly relaxes, her breathing regulating. The fae turns to me, her emerald eyes twinkling.
            "She's reacting to the dark saber. She lasted longer than one would expect. A hit to the head with an assassin's saber, renders a supernatural unconscious in mere minutes. She'll be fine though, oddly enough. "Emerald mutters softly, trying her hardest not to wake Karyn.
        The doors burst open, Daphne and Maisey nearly flying into the room, rushing to Karyn's side. Emerald leads me away from the room.
          "When an assasin's saber comes in contact with someone's head, it shuts off a part of their brain, rendering the victim unconscious permanently, causing adverse damage. But Karyn's not just fine, in fact, she seems as though she passed out due to stress. "She explains, giving me a slight smile, before walking away, with a promise to come check on Karyn later.
           Wondering silently, why I'm so interested in Karyn, I run a hand through my hair. Ever since I walked into the cafeteria yesterday, my senses had been assailed by her, when her eyes met mine, the bottle green depths seemed to draw me in. I am used to being stared at; sometimes in awe, other times with lust, but her eyes held a mixture of interest, as well as intrigue in their green depths, that I was not used to.

        Night falls, and I make my way to Karyn's room against my better judgement. I have a feeling deep in my bones that something was wrong. The same feeling, I had earlier, when we drove past her this afternoon.
         I push the room door open quietly, careful not to wake her. The sound of whimpering, propels me forward and I make my way towards her. Her closed eyes are facing upwards to her raised hands, her lips open slightly, expression twisted in a grimace.
        "Hey! Hey, calm down. It's alright, miqueriona.  You're safe, you're fine. " I whisper, holding her stiff hands until they relax, her breathing regulating again. I repeat my words, until her breathing takes on a steady rythym, indicating that she'd fallen asleep. I watch her, the way her lips turn slack as she takes deep breaths, her eyelashes dusting her cheeks like a lover's caress, her chest rising and falling. She's like a drug, I cannot get enough of. It amazes me how deeply she's seeped beneath my skin.
         When I'm sure that she won't be waking up again due to nightmares, I stand and walk out of the room, my footsteps light, leaving no evidence that I was there at all.
    
         "Where'd you go?" Calen asks me, when I return. I shrug, sinking into the sofa in the main room. He sits beside me, his curly hair tied into a bun.
         "To check on something. "I mutter nonchalantly, trying to be vague and avoid further questions.
         "Hmmn. Something or someone ?" He asks and I keep my eyes on him.
           "She didn't react to the dark Saber, Cal. There's also something about her, you can't deny you feel it too. As though her energy calls to yours. Its only our people that have such energy, Cal. I find it an inconvenience at best to be clueless and I simply want to know, what the hell is going on here."
           "Hmmn. Is that how you knew she was in danger too? 'Cause of the magnetic properties of Avalonian energy ?" He asks and I hum. He nods his head, satisfied, standing up after clapping me on the shoulder.
           "I'm going to get something to eat, do you want anything ?" He asks, but I shake my head. All I want is to be alone with my thoughts.
            He nods, sauntering out, as I continue staring off into space. My mind's not completely blank though, this is the first time I've lied to Calen since we came to FirstWorld. My mind's still fixed on a pair of bewitching green orbs.
                         . I'm fucked .

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Raptor
       I lift Russo onto my back as though he is weightless, grimacing at the thought that this used to be my best friend and the closest thing to family I have, save for my sister. My face grim, I gently place him in the vehicle, closing the door after him. I take my seat in the driver's seat thereafter, starting the engine, and putting the car in motion.
       My heart burns with the feeling of anger and revenge. The people of Firstworld have never looked kindly on assassins, reason being that the people of Firstworld believe in community and treasuring nature and its gifts, the supreme mother so lovingly created. The very idea of taking a life is considered sacrilegious.
                                           .  Bullshit .
       
         It is because of the assassins that many of them can sleep at night, as we work tirelessly in the shadows eliminating threats that even they, aren't aware of. Threats like the unknown girl earlier today. We could sense her aura from miles away, swirling like a whirlwind, simply biding it's time until it can be unleashed to destroy.
         Those fools had no idea, who or rather, what they were protecting. Slade was a fool as well, a coward, backing away from a fight like that and I was no less. I glance backwards at Russso, who appears as though he's sleeping, only the telltale stillness of his chest giving him away.
        I growl, fists gripping the steering until my knuckles turn white. I will have my revenge against the mutt, who took him from me, and when I do, she'll be sorry.