The Night Watch | The Nocturnal Chronicles {Book One}

iii. the elder

"Knowledge is a weapon. It is far sharper than any blade. Sharper than the dagger of an assassin, and sharper than the sword of a knight."

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The Truth. Erudessa had always kept true to it. Throughout all her years of killing people, she had never lied to a single one of them. In fact, she told a few she would kill them while she was deceiving them into giving her information. She never imagined the first person she would lie to would be the person she loved the most. As she sat under the willow tree, Erudessa wondered how she would ever forgive herself. She had just let him walk away after telling him that loving him was a mistake. It was far from a mistake. Their love kept her sane and happy when she was most troubled by all she'd done. The only mistake was not going through with the marriage.

     She stood up, wiping her cheeks and eyes. They were wet with tears. She hadn't shed tears in a long time. As part of her training to be an assassin, she was broken to the point where tears didn't matter. The only thing that matter was facing what brought those tears. It was strange to taste the salty liquid as it rolled down her cheeks. Shaking her head, she made her way back to the castle. Passing by a dozen servants who said nothing about her red, puffy eyes, she went to her room and changed in her riding clothes. Her dagger went into its sheath in her boot, and she threw her cloak over her shoulders.

     Every day at noon, the Elder said the blessing over the kingdom alone in his studies. It would be easy for Erudessa to make quick work of him. Slip in when no one is looking and slit his throat. He would be the same as any other mark. Except, she had a personal relationship with him. The Elder had always been like family to Erudessa. She was the only one who called him by his real name, Noah. It was a strange name from the Age of the Old. She remembered he had laughed when she questioned it. He knew how foolish it was that she couldn't think beyond the world she knew. That was when he decided to teach her a lot about the Way of the Old.

     Killing the Elder would be the hardest assignment she had ever been assigned. She wouldn't just be killing an old man, but a man who acted like her grandfather. Every day for years, she would sit with him in his study, and she would study each wrinkled on his face. He had told her they all had a story from his past. His eyes were a crystal blue that held mystery and had seen so much pain and destruction. His white hair was always neatly combed along with his bread. They were long and she had always wondered if he would wear his bread that a scarf when he was cold.

     Erudessa tied her cloak and left her room. She went down to the stables and went into her horse's stall, preparing him for a ride. A stable boy traveled over and offered his assistance. She gave him a distasteful glare until she realized she had never seen him before. Her expression softened and she nodded, stepping aside.

     "You're new, aren't you?" She asked as he threw the saddle blanket on her horse.

     "My name is Grimm." There was something strange about him. He didn't seem like a stable boy. "I already know you, Assassin."

     She grinned, crossing her arms. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

     He glanced back at her after he put the saddle on. "Is it?"

     "I guess it depends," She shrugged and gave him a serious look. "Are you going to do something so bad that a public execution would be too good for you?

     He shook his head. "I wasn't planning on it. Not today anyway. Maybe tomorrow."

     She smiled and glanced at her feet before meeting his eyes again. "You think you're a real comedian, don't you? Think you have what it takes to be the Royal Jester?"