I stopped running behind a corner, waiting for the assassin to come to me.
So much for not acting like a guard anymore.
Footsteps came from down the hall, slowly. He was waiting for a surprise attack. Somebody to come to him. Thanks to my magic, he’d end up coming to me.
Now that he was closer, I could sense his blades cutting through the air— a dagger and a short sword. Although if his intention was a true one, he’d be losing his dagger soon.
I jumped back to avoid his stab around the corner. My dagger slashed forward and sliced into his arm. Hopefully it was in the right place for a bleed-out. Or able to hinder him.
He attacked me with a roar. I brought my second dagger up to catch his sword. I tried not to swear as I noticed he was wielding a curved blade. It would be easier to hack me apart.
Not that I would let him.
He forced my hand down, causing me to break away. A line of red was on his sword. I’d worry about where he cut me later. So long as I outlasted him, I wouldn’t have to worry.
I blocked another chop at my shoulder. I twisted his blade out and down, letting me have access to his neck. A punch to his jaw, and the dagger along my forearm sliced into his neck.
He dropped.
I sheathed my daggers and yanked his out of the wall for my collection. Pain branched out from my shoulder, reminding me I had been cut.
I pulled out the bandages I kept in my belt purse and began wrapping them around my shoulder. Shoulder wounds had caused me more trouble than they were worth if I didn’t slow the bleeding in time.
It was near impossible to bind my shoulder properly by myself and one-handed; that would have to wait until I could find a healer. But the bandage should stop me from passing out.
I turned to go back to my sister’s room, shaking my head at how close I’d let this assassin get. But any punishment for acting as a guard would be avoided— the assassin had only thirty feet to go before reaching her room. No guards were close enough to have stopped him. Other than me.
A guard’s shadow became visible in the light of the hallway. I slowed. Normally guards were only called after I’d returned to mine or my sister’s rooms. He began jogging upon seeing me. “Ranya and Ghada were getting worried about you.”
I closed my eyes and inhaled, head dropping. Ghada. Of course I had to forget about my two-year-old cousin. I opened my eyes to see my shirt bloody, from both my wound and the assassin’s. But two had been about the age all my younger relatives had seen me after a fight.
The guard paused a few feet in front of me. “I’ll call for a healer.”
“Thank you,” I said, looking up. He nodded and turned, trotting back down the hall. I had stopped arguing guards coming after me once they’d found me collapsed from blood loss— why I bound all of my wounds as early as I could. I still remembered being tied to bed for a week after, because I refused to stay put. That was never happening again, if I could help it.
Ghada had now escaped whatever hold she’d been put under and was running down the hall. I bent down and waited for her to run into me. The dagger I had taken went by the wall beside me. I’d come back for it later.
She came into sight very shortly after and jumped into my arms. “Rini!”
I hugged her as tightly as I could with my hurt shoulder, glad she was burying her face where I wasn’t injured.
My sister came into sight shortly afterwards, just as I was standing up. “I should take her,” she whispered.
Ghada was now sobbing in my shoulder, babbling about how I shouldn’t leave her ever again. I shook my head and mouthed, “She won’t leave.”
My sister sighed slightly and placed her hand on our cousin’s back. “She’s alright, Ghada.”
Her sobs quieted a little, being interrupted with more sniffing. I shifted her weight, preventing my dagger from digging into my hip, and began walking down the hall, Ranya beside me.
~
Ghada hadn’t let go of me completely since I’d taken hold of her, despite being tended nearly as soon as I reached Ranya’s rooms. Even as my wound was being tended, she stayed squished against my side, face buried against my breastband. When she felt me flinch as the first stitch went in, she jerked up and stared at the now-clean cut.
I turned my head to look at her, arm tightening around her body. “I’m alright.”
She worked one arm free, pulling back enough to rub my arm. “You are.”
I smiled and let my head fall back in the couch cushions. She’d learned so much from us comforting her, she was now comforting me.
“Do you want to help me bandage your cousin?” the healer asked in her usual teasing tone. I opened one eye to glance at the woman, reminding her how much I disliked having ‘help’ with my bandages. She just flashed me a grin in reply, making it look like it was directed to Ghada.
The child nodded vigorously and sat up. The edge of a bandage was placed under my collarbone, and small fingers held it in place as the healer wound it around my chest and shoulder.
At least she’d learned and not let Ghada do the bandages herself. Last time a younger relative had helped, I’d ended up losing circulation from how tight the bandages were.
I tapped Ghada on the back, getting her attention. “Get Ranya please? There’s someone at the door.”
She hesitated, only leaving when the healer waved her off. With her curiosity satisfied that I was alright, she bounced off the couch and vanished in Ranya’s closet. My sister was inside, looking for my spare clothes. I’d gotten tended in her room so many times we decided it was easier to have some of my wardrobe in here. But from the amount of time it was taking, I wondered if there were any spare clothes left.
The servant waited at the door as Ranya emerged with a spare shirt. She tossed it to me on her way to the door as Ghada bounded on the couch cushion beside me.
I rubbed the bandages and looked up at the healer, smiling in thanks. She watched as I pulled on the shirt and stood. The door was for me, and I had to look somewhat presentable.
“You’re learning,” she muttered.
I glanced at her sideways. “I passed out two years ago, Kira.”
She chuckled. “And nearly passed out countless times since.” She snapped closed her healer’s bag, ending that conversation. “I’ll see you again.”
I shook my head and walked to the door, her words lingering. I could hear the conversation now. My parents had requested a meeting with me.
It definitely looks a lot more trimmed down compared to the last version I read (and didn't comment on)!
