Snippet #2182424

“You dislike my attitude, yet you care for my safety. Remind me again which is the one of us who keeps losing to these rebels?” Jennifer's voice followed him up the stairwell. He rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, an irritated growl burning at the back of his throat.

Remind me again why I'm putting up with her?

Because she's a mage and can help you fight against a mage.

Yeah, that's not outweighing the former.

Vy chuckled through their connection, I think you two are perfect.

Talon's face heated as he stopped mid stride from his dragon's words. The creature could barely keep his laughter to himself as Talon turned his head slowly and aimed his deadly glare towards where Vy was stationed outside the house. His heart leapt to the bottom of his throat as he stood there.

I can't believe you would say that, or even think that!

Hmm. You'll come around, was all Vy said to him in reply.

The assassin released the air in his lungs in a heavy 'woosh' and kept moving. Shaking his head, he muttered under his breath, "Damn woman. I swear... if the rebels don't kill me, she will..." His hands shifted through drawers as he looked through his fathers council room. Nothing there turned up and nothing certainly fit the key that the late Lord V'lyn had given him. Leaving the council room, he went into the room next to it and started from one end, working his way to the other.

Talon went through four more rooms like this, meticulously working from each corner to find what his father wanted him to get. The last room was the small library that Lord V'lyn kept and as Talon entered the room, he shifted his gaze across the shelving and small desks that used to be his study areas. For a moment he just gazed at it all in remembrance. Then he moved, starting once again from the door and working his way backwards. An hour later and his gaze settled on a keyhole at the back of the library that he didn't remember ever seeing. On the floor was a tapestry that had obviously been removed from the wall. No wonder he'd never seen the keyhole before.

Slowly reaching into his clothes, he pulled the key out and eyed both the key and the keyhole. They both certainly looked as if they matched. Talon turned and went to the door that was at the far end of the hall, the stairwell on the other end. He yelled out into the darkness for Jennifer's attention, knowing that she would hear him no matter where she was.

"Jennifer! Up stairs!"

Turning back, he walked to the area where he'd found the keyhole, his eyes on the golden key between his fingers. He halted in his steps however before reaching the wall where he was before. Putting the key away in his clothes, he quickly withdrew his daggers and sidled up against a shelving unit. Slowly, he peered around the corner and spotted what he figured was already there. Two cloaked figures facing where he was hiding. One raised their hand and the shelf rocked, then tipped dangerously towards him, forcing Talon to lung forward and roll to the other side of the room. As he went, he replaced one dagger and pulled out two throwing knives in one hand. Coming up from the roll, he threw the knives without hesitation.

One hit it's mark, the other was deflected and he cursed mages once more. The rebel that the knife hit stumbled from the impact and reached up with a curse to quickly remove the pesky weapon. As he was doing that, Talon rushed them. His dagger connected with another knife as the second rebel stepped forward to protect their comrade. A shock of magic threw him backwards into another shelf, knocking it over completely. He hit it with such a force that his breath was knocked from his lungs.

"Damn mages," he coughed out.

"The key, assassin," the one spoke, the voice marking her clearly, "Or I'll make your death as slow and painful as possible. Either way I'll get it."

Talon rolled off the shelving, stood up slowly and coughed. As he stood he gave her a small grin and wiped at his mouth, "No," he growled in response and lunged at her again. The woman raised her hand, her magic twisting around him and as the assassin got close to her, she closed her fist and turned. Talon felt as if hands had wrapped around his entire body and he was pulled forward and flung into the wall. The magic faded and he crumpled to the floor without a sound. The second rebel kicked him over onto his back and the female one dropped down over him.

"I'm going to have fun with you," she grinned down at him. Talon glared back up at her, then shifted just enough to move her and with his hand freed, he plunged the dagger into her thigh.

With a scream, she reeled backwards slightly before composing herself. A twisted snarl curled her lips as she gripped the weapon in her leg. Talon moved again and freed his other hand, intent on shoving this one through her chest. He made it part way, cutting into her clothes and just barely scrapping skin before she realized what he'd done. Then the blade stopped by the force of her magic and was taken from his hand. Weaponless, she leaned heavily against him, pushing one hand through his clothing to find his other weapons. As she did so, her power curled around him, locking every muscle in place so he couldn't move.

"Damn assassin, I'll rid you of your weapons then kill you with them," she growled, her fingers curling around the first of several throwing knives.