Known to be the most feared assassin to ever live, Void Icefall is a living weapon. Trained since she was a child in the King's palace, Void gets rid of anybody the King wants dead. Wanting freedom that could come at the cost of her parents' lives...
When I wake up, I find myself on my knees with my hands shackled behind my back. I immediately try to freeze the shackles off me, but no luck. The shackles have a different weight to them, as well as a different feel. It's cold and smooth against my skin.
Interesting.
I remember the feeling of the barred door being the same, recalling how my powers didn't work on it. So I conclude that these shackles are made out of the same material as the barred door from my old jail cell.
'Well, that's great.' I sarcastically think to myself.
The floor under me is cold, and with a look, I realize it's marble. I've only ever seen it at a rich person's house my parents and I cleaned for money.
Putting the thought of my parents to the back of my mind, I tell myself to focus.
I turn to scan my surroundings and feel a soreness in the back of my neck. I keep twisting my neck, feeling some sort of smooth, cold material. It has the same feel as the shackles and the barred door.
I conclude that whatever this smooth, cold material was stopped my power from working.
Suddenly, I wonder where Red-head is. Did he escape as I told him to? Did he get captured? I have no idea. I can only hope he got away from here.
With that in mind, I proceed to look around and find myself in a throne room. Two red and gold thrones sit 5 feet in front of me. Looking to the right and left of me, I notice five guards surrounding me from the back and sides, forming a semi-circle around me.
There are more guards scattered around the fancy room, and I count sixty guards altogether, including the ones surrounding me.
Suddenly, I hear a door creak open. The door is next to the two thrones. The person that comes out of the door almost stops my heart.
It's him.
The King of the Hostiles.
"Well, I didn't know you had so much fight in you, little one." The King says, meeting my ice-blue eyes with his storm gray-ones.
I glare at the King, but don't respond.
"You know, you and that little friend of yours killed almost forty of my men." Even though the King's voice sounds angry as he says this, his face looks amused.
"And you sent your dirtbags to kill my best friend," I retort, anger building up inside of me.
The King opens his mouth to say something, but I continue talking before he can. "I wouldn't have even killed your guards if I wasn't here in the first place."
The King looks at me for a second, his long white hair swaying slightly as he shakes his head.
"Though I do like how feisty you are, you don't talk over me." He warned, sneering at me.
Then his face relaxed again into a blank, cold look. He made his way over to one of the thrones and sat down.
After crossing his legs, he quickly changes the subject.
"I could have you killed, you know. You killed my men. And you have powers. You're an Outlander. Two things that should get you to the execution block. But I have a better idea, and it benefits me as well as yourself." He declares, a sly smile now occupying his face.
A second later, he continues.
"I've concluded that killing you people, you Outlanders, is a waste. You gifted people could be turned into weapons. Perfect to use against those horrible Vexes. So this is the deal: you will join a special squad of people with powers. You will fight and do all the missions I assign you to do. You will become a warrior, an assassin. And you will do all of this to pay for the lives of the men you killed, as well as to keep your family safe."
"What do you mean by "keep my family safe"?" I ask suspiciously.
He smiles at this. A crazy smile. "It's obvious you will try to escape, just like you tried to an hour ago. To hold you to the deal, I will kill your family by torture with you watching if you step out of line or try to escape. Oh, I can't forget that little friend of yours. The red-haired one? Leo, that's his name. He will also suffer if you step out of line. I would hate to have to do that, but you leave me no choice if you try to run away."
He waits for my reaction.
I am surprised to find out Red-head's name, though. Leo. Good to know. But I know how to keep my face emotionless, free from signs that could give what I'm feeling away. My focus is still on the matter at hand.
"Fine, but under one condition," I say.
"Okay, I'm listening." The King says, intrigued.
"If I die in battle, a mission, or if I die at all, you will not take it out on my family. They will be taken care of no matter what. You will swear this on your life, your family's life, and your kingdom. Make a contract, if you have to. Just keep my family safe."
After some thought, I add. "Please."
It's quiet for a moment as he contemplates what I said. But soon, he agrees.
"Fair enough." He says in response. "The contract is a good idea. I'll have my advisors make one right away."
"Okay," I say in agreement.
I pause for a moment and add, glaring daggers at the King's face. "Just watch your back carefully, or you'll find a frozen dagger in it. I'm a vengeful person, and you just threatened the people that I love."
That's the boldest thing I can say in this situation. Anything more will threaten my family. And I can't lose my family. And even though I just met Red-head - I mean Leo - I can't have his death on my hands, too. I can't have more deaths that I'm responsible for.
The King smiles a cat's smile and says, "Good. I like a good challenge."
And with that, he dismisses me. I'm dragged out of the wealth-covered throne room, not exactly knowing how to get out of this situation.
Because now I'm condemned to do the King's dirty work, all so my family and Leo won't suffer because of me.
At the end of the day, it's the right thing to do.
But the price to pay is high.
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