The Killing Grounds Page 19

  “There’s no such law,” Lucinda said as she wiped the water from her face. She turned off the tap and wrapped a towel around herself. Alara thought that she was going to leave, but she crossed the room and sat on a bench opposite Alara.

  “Yes I know,” Alara said, feeling a little self-conscious now that the girl was watching her wash herself.

  “Don’t stress Du Preeze, you hold no interest for me, unlike the rumours in the barracks I do like boys.”

  “To be honest I never heard any rumours.”

  “That’s because you never speak to anyone except Black. I’m surprised he’s not here now.”

  “Is it that obvious?” Alara wanted to know what the dorm was thinking about her and Black.

  “The boys think that you two are doing the ugly dance, but you're not are you?”

  “No we're not, but if it keeps them happy let them think what they want.”

  “Then what are you two up to? Don’t tell me that you're working together to retire people, because I know that’s just a bullshit story as well.” Alara threw up a shield around the room in case anyone else was listening in on their conversation. “Well this looks ominous.”

  “He’s helping me find Lord Osari.”

  “There’s more to it than that isn’t there?”

  “Have you ever heard of the Affiliation?” Alara asked.

  “What do you think? My parents sit on the Senior Council and constantly throw parties at our home. I used to listen in to their conversations when I was small and they didn’t know about my gift.”

  “I intend to infiltrate the Affiliation, destroy it from the inside and rescue Lord Osari.”

  “Are you insane girl? You’ve only been here five minutes and you want to take down the Guild!” she said raising her voice.

  “No, but you’re not the first one to ask me that,” Alara said, smiling at the response. “Let’s get one thing straight though, I’m trying to protect the Guild, not destroy it. Sable is the one trying to destroy it. She has six members of the Guild Council in her pocket and she only needs two more to own us outright. Once that happens, all those with the gift that are not on the Council are to be retired immediately, and that includes you Lucinda.”

  The girl was quiet for a while, “And you intend to do this all on your own?”

  “No, I have Black on my side and I was hoping you might join us.”

  “Ha! Why would I do that?”

  “To save your family name! Once the Affiliation is destroyed your family will face a very trying time with the other Council members. You could try to influence them to change sides.”

  “That’s never going to happen,” Lucinda said sadly. “They’re up to their eyeballs in this.”

  “Then it will be up to you to carry on with the family business when they’re gone. Their place on the Council is hereditary isn’t it?” Alara asked.

  “Yes.” Lucinda was now rubbing her eyes.

  “So that seat will need filling one way or another. If I’m right your brother and sister are also involved, and that just leaves you.”

  “I know nothing of politics,” Lucinda said shaking her head.

  Alara brightened; at least the girl was open to the idea! “You could secure the future of the Guild from that seat Lucinda, think of all the good you could do for the Guild and the city. I know your heart's in the right place.”

  “Oh and how can you be so sure Du Preeze?”

  “Because you’re here and not acting as a pawn on the Junior Council,” Alara stated.

  Lucinda took a long hard look at Alara. “Let’s say I agree with your intentions, we still have twelve people here and there can be only five. We may not last the week.”

  “I have a truce with Black; I offer you the same truce. Black has agreed in principle to extend his truce to you as well. As long as we keep the retirements happening there won’t be another tournament. The Affiliation will try to send us a few curve balls, but if we stick together we can get through this as a team.”

  “That’s never been done before, in fact that’s probably against the rules.”

  “Rules or not this isn’t a game. If we fail, the Guild and all it stands for will be gone forever. Are you prepared to let that happen?” Alara pushed on.

  “No. This Guild offered me a chance to get away from something I hate and I’ll not stand by and let anything happen to it. Who else is in on this?” she asked.

  “Just the three of us.”

  “So a guttersnipe, a poor little rich girl and a bastard are going to change the world?”

  “That’s about the gist of things but I wouldn’t call Black a bastard, he’s actually a nice guy when you get to know him better.” Alara was annoyed at Lucinda calling Black names.

  “You misunderstand me Du Preeze; Black hasn’t told you all of his history has he?”

  Alara was caught off guard but tried to play it cool, “No, but do go on.”

  “Black’s mother was supposedly Lady Black, the sister of Lord Black, who you met briefly during the open day. Lady Black passed away shortly after the boy was born and instead of joining the main family, he was sent here to work in the kitchens. There have been many different stories about why this happened, but when you travel in the same circles as my family you get to hear the truth.” Lucinda paused for added effect and Alara waited even though she knew that she wasn’t going to like the answer. “Lord Black is a known womaniser and playboy and has many mistresses; one of those was his sister.”

  “Oh crap.”

  “Oh crap indeed! Lady Black had gone into hiding during the pregnancy and had given birth under a pseudonym, but it wasn’t long before Lord Black hunted her down and had a bounty placed on her head. The story goes that the assassin who collected the bounty brought the child here.”

  “Who was the assassin?” Alara asked without stopping to think.

  “No one knows for sure. But I bet there’s a record of it somewhere in these walls.”

  Another mystery to solve, Alara thought to herself.

  “So what’s the plan Du Preeze?” Lucinda asked.

  “Well I was thinking that you may like to set me up on a date with your brother,” she said and smiled at Lucinda who sat shaking her head.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing girl.”

  “You’re not the first person to say that either!”

  Nineteen:

  The three assassins worked tirelessly at keeping their truce private and kept most of their conversations to a bare minimum during study time. Lucinda now joined them for the private gym sessions, which led to questions from some of the other apprentices, but after she made sure that her rope climbing skills deteriorated to the extent of needing help they had left her alone to train. A few of the other boys that were lacking in strength tried to join the group, but had been put off by Black calling them sissies for wanting to train with the girls. Black and Lucinda had initially been wary around each other, but the more they trained together, the easier the situation got between the two.

  The Quartermaster called the class in for their weekly meeting and after berating the group for being too big and reminded them of the tournament possibilities, Alara and Lucinda took matters into their own hands and each retired a boy on the following morning's run through the common. Each girl had assisted the other and when word got out about the partnership they were ostracized even more than normal. The Quartermaster was impressed with the girls' work and warned the boys that they were being embarrassed by the fairer sex. Gideon had become distant from the rest of the class and spent most of his time alone under the mountain of text books the apprentices now had to carry about. An official order came down from the Guild Council that all retirements be put on hold until the final week of training and the class was rewarded with a free day. This was the opportunity that Alara was looking for in order to put her plan into action.

  “Chances are they’ll end the year with another tournament, we need to act now,” Alara said to
Black and Lucinda on the evening of the announcement of the free day. “We only have four days to ready ourselves.”

  “Ready ourselves for what exactly?” Lucinda asked.

  “Hang on a minute,” Black said, “year-end never happens like that, a tournament is out of the question, and the Guild cannot interfere with who retires who at that time.”

  Lucinda nodded, “Black’s right. The final week is a simple free for all with no holds barred. The Guild places a bounty on each apprentice but the bounties are only available to the remaining ten of us.”

  “Damn!” Alara said. “The Affiliation will have free access to our throats. If the rest of the class work for them they could easily gang up on us.”

  “It makes no difference. One way or another at the end of the day there will be five left, no more, no less,” Black said sternly. “Whatever happens after that isn’t worth worrying about now.”

  “We need some friends in high places,” Alara said.

  “I need no friends in those high places,” Black growled.

  “And that’s why you get the weekend off, Black,” Alara smiled at him. “Lucinda, what happens at Millhaven house this weekend?”

  “Same as every weekend I expect, my parents call it entertaining, but I call it torture of the worst sort!”

  “Then I think it may be time for you to go home and make amends for your poor choices in education,” Alara said winking at the girl.

  “You cannot be serious Du Preeze.”

  “Deadly serious, my plan revolves solely around you now. If we’re to make headway into the Affiliation I need some sacrifices to be made. Whether you like it or not you’re going to have to suck it up and apologise to your parents. Explain to them that you’ve made a mistake and you want back into the family business. In a strange way you’re telling them the truth.”

  “A very strange way!” Lucinda said and punched the floor.

  “I know this is hard for you, but I promise that I’ll be with you if things go south,” Alara placed a reassuring hand on Lucinda's arm. “Even though they don’t like the fact that you have Artistic talents they would be foolish not to see the value you can offer them on the Council.”

  “I know, but you don’t know what they’ll want me to do,” Lucinda said sheepishly. “I’ll let them know I’m coming home for the day and that I’m bringing a girlfriend, they probably think I’m gay anyway so why disappoint them?”

  Alara’s mouth dropped open, “The plan was that I get close to your brother, not you!”

  “Don’t worry, that won’t stop him trying.”

  Black snickered, but Alara had drawn a blade from her belt and let it loose. The knife thudded into the floor between Black’s legs. “Point taken,” he said.

  ***

  Alara stowed away her books and checked on the stones. Hers was still vibrant, but Lord Osari’s was getting dimmer by the day and she was feeling anxious that if she didn’t do something quickly he would be lost for good. She dressed in a new set of fatigues and waited for Lucinda who had been busy in the wash house since they returned from the mess.

  “Don’t you think that you’ll look a little out of place at my parents' estate dressed like that?”

  Alara spun around and gaped at Lucinda. She was out of her normal black fatigues and looked almost regal in her white silk blouse and black jodhpurs with matching leather boots. She held up a blonde shoulder length wig, “I hate this thing but if we’re going to pull this ruse off I have no choice.” She placed the wig on her head and fiddled with it until it was straight. “There, how does it look?”

  Alara was shocked at how much the girl looked like her sister now that she had hair, instead of the hard look the assassin normally chose. The wig and clothes drew out her inner beauty. “You look fantastic,” Alara managed, trying not to stare too much.

  “Are you saying I don’t normally look fantastic?” the girl asked, raising an eyebrow at Alara.

  “No, not at all.”

  “Not at all eh, that’s nice.”

  “No, I meant yes, oh damn I don’t know what I mean.”

  Lucinda laughed, “Don’t stress about it Du Preeze, I’m just pulling your leg. You’d better get used to it since my family are mockers of the highest calibre. I just needed the practice before we leave.”

  “I’ll remember to keep my frustrations under wraps, I’ve already had a taste of your brother and sister playing tag with me before, and it threw me off guard. Do you think Sable will be there?”

  “I get a feeling that wherever you go outside of the Guild she will have eyes on you, and if you’re right about the Affiliation's connection to her there will be others watching you here as well.”

  “Yeah, I tend to agree.”

  Lucinda opened her locker and pulled out a black blouse and matching slacks and tossed them to Alara. “Sorry about the colour but this was the best that I could find at such short notice.”

  Alara examined the clothes, “Well at least it’s my favourite colour.” She quickly dressed and added a pair of assassin stealth pumps, “Are you ready for this?”

  “No, but let’s go anyway, my parents have sent a car to meet us at the back entrance, best not to be late for my homecoming,” Lucinda said, heading out the door.

  ***

  The ride to the Millhaven estate was long and silent. The car was large and luxurious, boasting white leather seats with the three entwined black dragons that made up the Millhaven crest embroidered onto the back. The extravagance inside the vehicle made Alara feel restless, she had never travelled in such opulence before and it was totally alien to her. “Is this normally how your parents travel?” Alara asked as they approached the estate gates.

  “Believe it or not this car is reserved for guests only, my parents wouldn’t slum it in this.”

  “Wow,” Alara said sarcastically. She shuffled around on the soft leather, “How far is it to the house from here?

  “About a kilometre from just inside the gates.”

  “If we have time I’d like to walk the rest of the way, this car’s making me feel sick and I need the fresh air.”

  “Sure,” Lucinda said and tapped on the glass that separated the back of the car to the cab. “Pull over,” she commanded.

  “Do you Millhavens ever say thank you?”

  Lucinda grabbed Alara’s arm as she tried to get out of the car. “Understand something Du Preeze, you're about to be introduced to a world that you can’t comprehend. My family have owned this land for over two hundred years and the people that work here are nothing more than peasants. If you’re serious about infiltrating the Affiliation you need to come to grips that there are major differences in the way people are treated. The class system is very much alive and kicking, you are invited here as a guest and they will be expecting you to act as such. Don’t correct anyone on the way they act and I strongly recommend that you act the same way as they do.”

  “As much as it sickens me I have to agree, my apologies if I insulted you.”

  Lucinda shook her head, “I didn’t say I agreed with it Du Preeze,” she shoved Alara out of the car and joined her for the walk to the main house.

  “Lucinda I need you to think carefully about my next question and take it in the spirit in which it was intended. Is it possible that your parents are holding Lord Osari captive?” Alara asked as they ambled up the stone-chip driveway lined with trees on either side.

  “No, they may know about the abduction, but they’ll never be directly involved in any criminal activities. Their seats on the Council may be hereditary, but they could lose everything if they were caught acting outside of the law.”

  “Aiding and abetting is still a crime, if they have knowledge of where Lord Osari’s being kept they would be found guilty by the Council.”

  “Only if they were working outside of the Council’s normal framework, for all we know this could have been done with the blessing of the Council, making it legal to some degree.”

  The
early evening air was cold, but there was no cloud cover, making it easy for Alara to see the many statues and fountains that appeared between the massive oak trees that grew within the grounds. She’d expected large expansive seas of grass flowing in every direction, but instead the Millhaven grounds were more like a thick forest. She examined the marble statues of former Millhaven family members that were all dressed in military attire holding stone guns of various makes. Alara noticed the lack of female statues, “I take it that women are second-class citizens here?”

  “Not anymore,” Lucinda said as she placed her arm through Alara’s. They were getting close to Millhaven house and the girls needed to start acting like best friends. “That changed after the war, women are now supposedly equal to men, but whatever you do don’t bring the subject up with my father; he still has other views on the topic.”

  Alara remembered how the old man had treated his wife who was always one step behind her husband, and shivered inside. The driveway gave way to a large port cache outside of the front entrance which was dominated by the largest fountain Alara had ever seen. The three dragons making up the statuesque centrepiece had been beautifully crafted from black marble, and water cascaded out of their open mouths and fell back into the black trough to be recycled. The fountain was lit from the outside and flashed in different colour palettes that changed and kept time with soft music that played from somewhere inside of the fountain. The dragons looked like they could leap out and attack her at any minute, and a cold shiver made its way up Alara’s back and she shrugged, trying to loosen her shoulder muscles.

  “It’s stunning, isn’t it?” Lucinda pulled Alara closer as they stood and watched the water changing colour. “Come on, let’s get this over and done with.”

  The two girls approached the front entrance and were about to knock when the huge double wooden doors opened, sadly without the ominous creek that Alara half expected to hear.

  “This way if you please Lady Millhaven,” a tall man in a black business suit offset with a white shirt and red tie bowed to them and indicated for them to follow him.