Chapter 40
Vander rushed out from behind the tree69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5T5ioeS2DE
and immediately rolled to the ground as two arrows embedded themselves in the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMc74xiAEv2
dirt right where he had been standing. Despite being assassins and spies, it69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrWlOonA10
seemed as though the Green Serpents were crack shots with the bow, but he69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAcTFctf8k
decided to see what would happen when they faced someone who was expecting69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnzNJAqeCn
them. He scooped up a couple of rocks from off the ground and palmed them as he69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60F9nF2din
charged his enemies.
More69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIH9dbq7ghB
arrows were thrown at him, but it seemed as though they were drawn quickly69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47eXeytOif
without much aim. Some whizzed over his head while others got stuck in the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzWk3uPts2
ground a few feet in front of him. One came dangerously close to him, but he69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7GGoLmuIc
smacked it away with his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡar92oKyagG
movement. Taking quick aim, he threw a rock hitting a Serpent’s shooting hand.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqPT28txJN
With a cry of pain, he dropped the bow, but drew a knife instead.
“I’ll69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyIgHY96uC
gut you.” He snarled and rushed him with the dagger poised low. Vander stepped69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqkZG9fzjj
back as the dagger was thrusted forward. He grabbed the serpent’s arm and69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqjr4DoLeD
yanked the poor man off his feet before slamming his palm into the guy’s nose.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRV0aAEqShY
Blood spurted as his nose broke and embedded itself into the brain, killing him69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5sHvNEH9x
instantly. He quickly lifted the body up as two arrows hit him in the back. He69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EpYpsWjc1
rushed forward using the freshly made corpse as protection until he could see69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jrMWqrSS0
who he was looking for: three Serpents standing in front of him.
Unlike69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidbD98wcNF
the one he had just killed, these three looked like veterans. They had deep69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKl79gjiYw
green face paint and wore outfits that helped them blend into their69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekistuSsUa
surroundings. There was a hardened look in their eyes as they stared at him.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDolkzDgkPx
Knowing their bows would be useless if close combat, they lowered them to the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk84zF4qVui
ground then removed their quivers. Each one removed a large knife from the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcA3GwscWk8
sheathe strapped to their backs.
“You69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLUuJ4xVU7
might be a Blade, but you aren’t a match for all three of us.” One of them69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GSutXoKrd
growled. As if practiced, they spread out keeping Vander between them. From69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiDCAU7Y8N
here he could tell that the knives were poisoned, one wayward scratch would69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWIyhA82ZJ
send him to the afterlife, but he couldn’t stay here as he was. That was just69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4LZZ02fhx
asking to be killed.
Vander69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlojIeiB8Ay
threw the dead serpent at the one in front of him. As he fell scream in a69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7MJ1FU1ZY
tangle of bodies, Vander went to the left to handle the one there. He slashed69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZytm4SlITS
with his sword, but the serpent was nimble. He rolled over the sword strike,69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2aa2p7oqr
landing on his feet. He stabbed with the daggers, but Vander grabbed the wrist,69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyV7Fd33FFs
guiding it away from him. He kicked out the back of the leg sending the Serpent69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRF9WG8rRCp
to the ground. As he fell, he brought his boot up catching Vander in the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpU0Pft1c2L
stomach and sending him flying onto his back. He rolled and brought his sword69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqeYM1GjIR
up in time to block the second serpent’s daggers. He pushed him stumbling69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdVGz0hVke
sideways then scrambled to his feet. Before the serpent could adjust, Vander69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwjwiYVoqV
slashed his back open with his sword.
Blood69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMvRCLF1B7
sprayed as the man stumbled and fell to the ground. There was no time to check69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnOdehxqqn
to make sure he was dead as another was on him. The man was a whirlwind with69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxp3qz1Yj4
his daggers, spinning, slashing, and stabbing. The dagger cut his pants,69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63XtQ6pQSG
jacket, and shirt, but luckily it wasn’t deep enough to draw blood, but soon69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdItZvTTBbk
enough he could get past his guard. He wanted to keep one alive for69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQKLaI8PyP
interrogation, but that didn’t seem like it would be likely. So, he waited for69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInpdDnJZnD
a brief opening before cutting down with the sword. With a scream, one of the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcJmmiaJAg
serpents’ hands hit the ground in a bloody heap. Before he could scream more,69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeybkcgnp36
Vander cut his throat.
“Die!” The serpent who had been69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5aKW7ab2m
tangled up jumped from behind him. Panic raced in Vander’s chest. He had69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZOEH3rRxS
forgotten about him and now it was too late for him to protect himself as the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAXPoy6C4l
daggers raced towards his throat. Acting on instinct, he lunged underneath the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCx5eWoG4x
daggers grabbing the serpent around the waist bringing them both to the ground.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ577gz3M9GI
Vander’s fingers turned to claws as he tore out the man’s throat.
He could feel the demon clawing69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1kc5dlhyH
closer to the surface. It wanted out, a way to release its aggressions, but now69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJo2QTacEz
was not the time. Vander bit down on the impulse shoving the beast back into69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmu8gMDyBz7
the recesses of his soul. Soon, but not now. He had to get Kiara and Eliza back69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVnl6shSyw
first then all hell could break loose.
Vander spent some time going69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCF5I35jYF
through the pockets of the dead serpents to see if they had left behind any69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAir2NTygx
tools for him to use. He found several poisoned knives and needles, but the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6OnzdNWy6
rest were weapons that would be too much for him to carry so he discarded them.
Before leaving69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLeUx5E4Vdy
the area, he dragged Briar and Forest’s bodies back towards the road. He never69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjn23Cb1w3S
should have brought them here. This was his penance and his alone. Now they69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUcloyqTLm
were dead. He would have to carry that burden, but he swore he would make the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4C0HCl5nVB
Serpents, and Eve, pay for what they had done.
He remembered the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHz37WH0t6Z
village from his travels across the country. He knew that it would be heavily69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaXPLfpR7n
fortified, especially now that the challenge had been issues towards him to get69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbGUVwzDNk
the queen back. He would have to come prepared. So, he scooped up a bow along with69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmDxRT50wS
a quiver of arrows. They would know he was there, but only after some of them69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DSfPrc88O
had died.
The sun was69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCL4U6vij9
beginning to rise when he spotted the walls through the forest. The village was69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzrSBXH4MX
aptly named because it bordered the forest. This was a hunting village, taking69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡguW0Msktcu
out small game and deer to feed everyone. He wasn’t quite sure when the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9vjSUHfzI
Serpents moved in, but it must have been recently as they have had no reports69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCsdqvM6Xq
of the village being under attack.
As he looked at69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtNF0U4Rzt
the front gate, he noticed several men wearing green cloaks and talking amongst69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVLNN6DYKk
themselves. Without caring about who they were, Vander notched an arrow to his69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JDdnADOAA
bow, took aim, then fired. The arrow took a guard in the throat and before the69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEJXkAcKb0
others could react, several more arrows flew into parts of their body. One took69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUjONsd5ON
an arrow in the shoulder, while the third took one through the knee. Both went69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHetBWbs0o
down screaming, but they weren’t killing shots. It was enough to bring more69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzxmIXBKcR
Serpents out for him to kill.
They were pouring out of the village69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8RuERcSTV
now to get vengeance for their fallen comrades. He only had time to take down69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xf5Axo8Cs
two more before the rest were on him. He tossed aside the bow and quiver and69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GcfHpscIE
drew his sword to strike against his attackers.
The first one went down with barely69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOBfnvl28U
any effort. He sidestepped out of the way and ran him through. He blocked a69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEibUVd5eM
strike from the next one then pushed him aside, but soon he was overpowered by69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mXP4BZP7U
the sheer volume of people. As he raised his sword, one kicked his wrist69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jRdx4lVwO
sending it spiraling out of his hand. He was punched in the jaw and knocked to69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQBaqmtsw3
the ground. He tried to fight back, but several pinned his arms and pointed a69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lo6ydq6Ng
sword right at his neck.
“Stop!” Vander heard Eve shout. She69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBoZrZH5ZQ
pushed her way through the group and if he held out any hope that she hadn’t69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEIzIMKbvK
betrayed them the look in her eyes combined with what she was wearing sealed69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9obGuOap1h
her betrayal in stone.
She wore a sleeveless green shirt69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJErKSqku1
showing off lean muscles and a massive snake tattoo going down her left arm.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazhNmVwU7P
Her hair was pulled back but covered with a green hood. She wore two daggers on69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvrao76HIH
her belt.
“So, you did betray us.” Vander spat.
“Betray you?” she laughed. “I was69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBobIzr4zdr
never apart of you.” Now that he got a good look at her, he realized that she69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7ci3qZVAu
had been messing with him from the beginning. She was broader than she looked69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GzMC7UDNg
before, more heavily muscled. She wasn’t sixteen, she was likely someone older69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThGA4F6zgg
than he was. It also explained the gaps in the recruits’ skills. She had been69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUXM4aQO3a
playing them for fools since the very beginning.
“They trusted you,” Vander struggled.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCu04RwO2z
“I trusted you.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUQQfWKt2r
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“I’ll have to make a visit to69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMtZ67PQI2
whoever your informant is.” She grinned. “He almost ruined everything, but69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmjBP232db
luckily you were so easy to fool. Get him up.” Vander was hauled to his feet by69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtjKfm0x0q
several strong hands. “We will take what we need from you then I will spend a69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7o5tJeLDNB
lot more time cutting you to pieces. I’ve always wanted to hear you scream.”
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Maybe, just maybe, Peyton will come69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAA3bTZbfFX
here himself that way he could show everyone that he was innocent. He would69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQif4T7vNS
have to bide his time and wait, however. Hopefully his reinforcements would69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8Dbp6OAzx
arrive to save them, but he shouldn’t count on it. If Peyton knew they were69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOhZEsYkcW
mobilizing the army he would make it quick. For now, he willed his body to69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMfGo5OAee
relax. However, he wasn’t going to let them get away with it. He and the demon69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMDmNZgJy3
were going to have a lot of fun before they were killed.
