The Prince's Assassin

Chapter Five

I grunt as I lift up the top half of my body. I look around the attic and spot a short, ginger haired woman.

"Abby?" I tilt my head and stare at the back of the woman's head.

She spins around and I'm glad to know it actually is Abby.

"Good morning, Raven. I'm glad you're awake." She smiles politely and walks over with pills in her hand. "Take these, it will help with the pain in your leg."

I pull the bed covers off me and look at my bandaged shin. I realize just how much it aches, and hastily chuck back the pills from Abby's hand.

Abby is a nurse. Snake calls her when someone is injured and she comes straight away. She isn't a part of any gang but helps us when we need it.

"I had to pull out the bullet that was lodged in your calf muscle. It wasn't very deep and was near the surface so it wasn't too hard and didn't cause much damage."

"Thanks." I half smile.

"It shouldn't hurt too much to walk on, but don't strain it. Keep taking two of these painkillers every 4 hours for the rest of today, then only have some when your leg starts to hurt."Abby places a small bottle of pills on the coffee table beside my bed.

"Ok. Sure." I nod once, fidgeting my hands in my lap.

"Something on your mind, Raven?"

"No. It's just uh.....nothing." I shake my head.

"It's ok to be worried you know. Emotions are part of being human." Abby pats my shoulder with her tiny hand.

I'm not so sure I am human, after all the things I've done.

"I know. But never mind, I was just thinking how angry Snake is going to be." I say.

"Why would he be angry that you got hurt?"

"I'm on a really important mission at the moment. And I have a deadline."

"I'm sure he would understand. Actually no, what am I saying? This is Snake we are talking about." Abby chuckles but stops when I don't laugh with her.

"Look," She regains seriousness, "There is nothing you can do about it. Just take it easy and your leg will be better in no time."

I nod and she smiles, thinking that she made me feel better.

"I've got to go check on Ajay, then I'll be going."

"Ok. Thanks Abby." I say.

She packs up her equipment and leaves my room through the hole in the floor. I sit up more properly and twist my legs so they are dangling above the floor. I take a deep breath, praying my injured leg won't hurt much.

I ease down so I'm putting weight into my feet and so far, the pain is bearable. I push off the bed and straighten my legs as pain shoots up my legs. I groan and sit back down, frustrated that I'm useless with this injured leg.

I try to stand again, being more careful this time and favoring my non-injured leg. I manage to stand, then walk a few steps towards the attic ladder. I frown as I realize how much of a struggle it is going to be getting up and down that thing.

I lower myself down carefully and cringe when I put too much weight on my sore leg. I shuffle down the hallway towards Ajay's room, glad that it isn't downstairs and I don't have to worry about falling down the staircase.

I knock once on the door.

"Come in." Ajay's voice responds.

I push open the door and hobble over to where Ajay lays in his bed.

"Raven. Are you okay?" He looks suddenly worried.

"I'm fine. But you look awful." I scan his body. His right shoulder is wrapped up tightly in bandages and the same side arm in a sling.

"Abby said the bullet went in deep. I lost a fair bit of blood."

"What were you thinking!" I snap, remembering how selfish he had been to step forward to try and save me. "You could have gotten yourself killed! and if not you then Snake, or me, or any other one of the gang!"

"Rave......I.......I couldn't just let Haymitch kill you-"

"You think I'm that stupid to have let him kill me? I can look after myself!"

"I know you can but you looked a little stunned and I thought you might have been in too much pain to fight back."

"I've felt worse pain, Ajay. I don't need you looking after me whenever I'm around you!"

"It's ok if you were scared-"

"I don't get scared!" I shout, "I don't have feelings like everyone else does!"

Despite my words, I can feel the emotion inside of me. I can feel my eyes threatening to leak tears, which would be the first time since I could remember. Even when I almost got blinded in one eye, I never shed a single drop of tears.

"Please calm down, Raven." Ajay stays relaxed.

"I just can't believe you would be so selfish! To put everyone else at risk just because you have feelings for me!"

"You think I tried to save you for my sake? I wanted to save you because your life is important. That's not selfish, it's selfless."

I stand there. Breathing hard, not knowing what to say next.

"If you don't like me, that's fine, I understand. But just know that I've always liked you, and I would take a bullet for you any day."

"Then there is something wrong with you." I hiss and storm out of the room the best one can with an injured leg.

I rethink my words as I lay staring at the ceiling above my bed, and realize that it's me that has the problem. There is something wrong with me.

I'm a monster.

An emotionless, killing, monster.

That's how I've been raised, I don't know any other way of being.

I'm an assassin, that's how I have to be or I would never be successful in my missions.

Speaking of missions, I still have a prince to kill. And this stupid leg isn't about to stop me.

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