16 - Sextánda

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We walked towards the building which was just as dimly lit as the grounds outside. There was a long corridor that stretched till the end of the building and was lined with many doors.

The few doors that were open, led to small but neatly kept rooms.

We reached the end of the corridor where a pair of double doors stood. Alessio knocked on the door.

"Come in," came a gruff voice from inside.

He opened the door and motioned for me to come inside. The lighting here was better than it was outside. I could see a large table behind which two men stood. One of them was Sven, and he looked at me, smiling. There were a few more people occupying the couches and bean bags that were strewn across the room and seemed to be very out of place in the otherwise formal setting.

"I've been meaning to meet you Rayne," said the man beside Sven.

He got up and came towards me from behind the table. He took my hand in his rough one and pulled me to a chair.

"Please, sit," he said, sweetly. I don't think I like him too much.

"I'm Jedrek. But you can call me Jed," he said. I didn't like his emphasis on 'you' either.

Sven cleared his throat and said, "Can we move on to telling her why she's here?"

Jedrek glared at Sven.

"What's the rush? I think she should get to know us first. Don't you, Rayne?" he said, facing me again. He looked a lot older than Sven. Perhaps in his early thirties, yet still well-built.

"I'd like to know why you've brought me here," I said, plainly.

Jedrek sighed and said, "Very well. I'm assuming you know that you are in the Liet accommodation, what we like to call, the Dwelling. You have been brought here so that you can join us and live here."

"Well, what if I don't want to?" I asked defiantly.

I could see Sven's shoulder tense up and everyone else in the room remained quiet. But Jedrek seemed absolutely unfazed.

"You're in our territory now, girl. You aren't going to leave," he said with a smirk.

"This is kidnapping!" I yell angrily.

"If you want to think that, sure," he replied coolly. "Get her ready," he said, looking at Sven.

He left the room first, followed by everyone else except Sven, Uriah and Alessio.

"I'm sorry Rayne," Sven said. "Jedrek has been wanting for you to join the Liet for quite some time now. He is planning something and he needs as many people as he can get. We've been keeping track of you."

"Why didn't you just tell me all of this before?" I asked him.

"It would be harder to bring you here with us," said Uriah.

No kidding.

"But why me?" I asked.

"You're the only rogue left in this city," said Alessio.

"And also, Jed thinks you're hot," said Uriah, smirking.

I raised an eyebrow. Sven shot him a warning look.

"But you said it wasn't safe for me," I asked.

"That was just so you could come with us without too many questions," Uriah said.

What?

"Enough Uriah," Sven said, now getting up.

"You lied to me?" I asked Sven. "Just so you could trap me here?"

Sven glared at Uriah, condemningly. There was that anger again.

Uriah looked at him like a little puppy who was being scolded for pushing over a flower pot. He left the room without a word.

"Jedrek wanted you here whether you liked it or not. We had to get you here willingly otherwise he would do it by force," Alessio said. "You were in danger, Rayne. Living on your own. You'll be safe here."

"I was living on my own for the past five years just fine. You can't judge whether or not I can take care of myself," I said angrily.

"Things are different now, Rayne!" Sven said loudly, clearly annoyed. The anger was evident in his eyes. Alessio too looked taken aback by his tone.

Sven looked at Alessio and motioned towards the door. Alessio looked at me sympathetically and left. It was just Sven and me now.

"Rayne, I don't know much about what is happening, or what is going to happen. But I can tell you that people are asking about you. And they're not good people. All I know is that you aren't safe out there,"

"But-" I said

"You're strong Rayne. You can take down three maybe four grown men just in your human form on your own, I know that. You were a warrior. You are a warrior. But the enemy will be prepared too," he said.

"Who is the enemy?" I asked.

He looked solemnly at me and then to the floor. His voice was quieter as he said his next words.

"The Palace."

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