Sasha woke up with a scream. She felt disoriented and looked around with panic swirling inside her. Her hand flew to her sword, her eyes screening the area. The street was empty, and Alan was nowhere in sight. First then did she look down at her stomach, and the large tear in the fabric. Her black shirt was covered up in dry blood. Strangely she felt no pain.

“Isaak?”

Sasha rose to her elbows, looking back towards the cafe. The complete area was empty, but at the cafe, she saw two familiar faces. They were both raising from their chairs, looking angrily at each other before hurriedly moving towards her.

“You were reckless kitten”, Isaak said. “Too reckless.”

He took her hand, helping her up and carefully steadying her. Elias stood one step behind him, his hands in fists, the knuckles white.

“What happened?” Sasha lifted her shirt, looking at the white mark on her skin. She drew her fingers across it, not quite believing what happened. “You healed this?”

Elias's lips were a thin line.

“I can't take credit for that. I wasn’t told until later, couldn’t do much more than take your pain away and wait until you woke up.”

Sasha looked at Isaak, and then towards where her nemesis had stood. Alan was nowhere to be seen. The street looked like a scene from a war. The paving stones were spread all over the place. There was a big crater and half of a wall was torn down. The house would probably soon follow.

“I was told the dragons saved you”, Elias said. “Now, how come you came so close to death?”

He was eyeing Isaak as he said it, a flicker of green crackle over the yellow, but Isaak pretended he didn’t hear, dotting on Sasha and looking closely at her scar instead. Sasha took out a piece of paper from her pocket.

“I have work to do, and some magic to tame. That’s why.” She waved with the paper in front of Elias.

“Sasha”, Isaak interrupted. “Do you understand how close you were to die?”

“I got the picture, and I do remember the pain”, Sasha said. She looked between Isaak and Elias again. “What happened to Alan?”

“Dragon food”, Isaak said. “Now, do you understand how close you were?” Isaak put a hand on her shoulder, the other gently pushing her chin so she was forced to look at him. “We have two more on the list. Remembering the pain will not keep you alive. What will you do next time?”

His voice was cold, although there was warmth in his grey eyes.

“I will go directly for the kill”, Sasha sighed.

“Good”, Isaak said. “That was the answer I was expecting. Now, what is the one thing an assassin never does?”

“Takes risks”, Sasha dully said. She knew Isaak’s lessons, still, it stung.

“She almost got killed Isaak”, Elias said. He stepped closer. “Exactly how fucked up are you?”

“You should know”, Isaak said and let go of Sasha. “It has kept her alive so far, hasn’t it?”

Elias pushed Isaak aside, conflicts in his eyes.

“Sasha”, Elias took her hands in his, warmth and magic seeping through them, comforting her and simultaneously inspecting her, looking for any aftermaths since her awakening.

“You don’t have to do that list, Sasha. There are other ways.” Elias massaged her palms. “I can teach you. If you just let me.”

She had left him by her mothers, sneaking away and let him find her almost dead. She knew she was not mature enough in her magic, she knew she had gambled. And she knew she was not playing nice with him. Why couldn’t he stop helping her?

“Elias”, Sasha said. “I know you disagree, but this worked much better than your teaching.” Sasha looked around. Isaak kept a straight face and she was rather happy about it. “I almost mastered it”, she lied through her teeth.

“You are the most stubborn person I have ever come across”, Elias said. “Well, since you were the one that took the extra tour in the city, you will have to witness the consequences of your choices”, Elias said. “Come, it's time to leave.”

He pulled at her hands, laying an arm around her waist.

“What are you doing?” Sasha said, refusing to move.

“You will just watch. And then we will talk. Isaak, I bring her back to you later.”

“I do not agree with your plan Elias”, Isaak said. “I still think you should mind with your businesses, without her involvement.”

Sasha couldn’t believe it. They had planned this without her. How come Isaak didn’t stick up for her?

“Or rather, I will talk, and you two will watch”, Sasha said and waved the list in front of them again. “Two more to go. Why don’t you be a good boy and go and play with Ivy for me Elias?”

Elias didn’t budge and he didn’t even crack a smile. The hearty laughter of Isaak got her to want to hug him and ruffle his red hair.

“You might be the dullest I have seen. Ever”, Sasha said looking straight at Elias. “Not even curious about what this is all about?”

Sasha burned the list in front of her, the dragon fire was erupting from her fingers. She didn’t need it anymore, the last one was ingrained in her, she would never forget.

“You are not just learning how to handle the elemental Sasha, you are already mastering them. I have had enough of this nonsense.”

“Nonsense”, Sasha said with a high-pitched voice.

“You made a promise”, Elias said. “It's time to pay.”

Sasha looked from Elias to Isaak. Isaak shrugged.

“I will keep Ivy occupied until you are back”, Isaak said.

Sasha gritted her teeth. She couldn’t believe what she was about to do.

Elias walked towards the King's quarters with purposeful steps. Sasha hissed and cursed, but she followed his suit. Curiosity killed the cat. She had always preferred dogs.

“Mam”, Nils bowed when he saw them passing the gates. “I heard you saved the prince?”

“I did, didn’t I?” Sasha said. He shouldn’t have been able to guilt play her to come. Still, he had.“We will chat later Nils. I have a new guard that will need a mentor.” And fewer princes to save. Next time she would not call the king. He had to figure it out by himself. Could be good practice for his magic.

“I think you have the potential for a raise Nils,” Sasha said. She smiled and stepped closer, eying him up and giving him a friendly smile. She bent closer, whispering in Nils's ear.

“What would you like of being chief in command. I know of someone needing a really good mentor.”

Nils looked confused, his eyes darting from her to Elias. Sasha smiled and continued to walk aside from Elias. She had a special new guard in mind. This new guard would love going for a kill, being the worst boy this side of the churchyard. If the werewolf could pass meat on a stick she would approve of him working with Ivy. Nils was the perfect test, young, sweet, and tender. She would run this by Ivy as soon as she got hold of her. If Nils succeeded in training the werewolf and ingraining some manner in him, he had well earned a raise. Anyhow, she was already sure Nils would be her head in command. Sasha strolled after Elias but lost her pace when he turned left, not right.

“Where are we going? I thought we would go to the tower?”

“Not yet”, Elias said. “When you ran away I went back to the castle. I got a bit occupied, hadn’t the time to chase after you.”

“No one asked you to chase”, Sasha said.

“Well, I should. If I had you wouldn’t have got stabbed in the stomach. All our choices have consequences.”

“You have to be kidding me”, Sasha laughed. “Don’t tell me you can predict the future. There are no consequences for bullshit, just a flush of water.”

Sasha filled her hands with magic, pulling out water from thin air and covering Elias in his very own cloud. A rainy, smoky cloud, with droplets so small and in such amount he was practically soaked up in the water. His normally white hair laid strokes like silk against his neck, and the clothes clung like a second skin.

Elias didn’t care, he just continued to walk, the stride even and fast. Outside of the queen's quarters, he stopped to talk with a guard.

“How is she?” Elias asked.

The guard was older, at an age when he normally would have gotten retired. Him still being here, in service of the royals, talked volumes. The softness in his eyes when he met Elias's gaze added to Sasha’s curiosity.

“We have to get rid of her soon my lord. Shall I get her?”

“Bring her up to my room, and prepare my stallion and the mare. Send someone to take your place here.”

The guard bowed and hurried away. Elias turned around, looking with a worried brow at Sasha.

“I will explain, but first I want you to see for yourself, Sasha. Could you promise to stay silent and out of the way until I say so?”

“Why? You don’t trust me. Why show me things”, Sasha asked. “Wouldn’t you just want the orb back? I have given you no reason to have faith in me.”

He shouldn’t have. Why did he have to be so gullible? It would make life easier had he been like the queen, or the king, but Sasha was sure that the sword would turn up the purest white if she had tested. As sure as she was of Elias being dangerous. He had taken lives. Irritated she dried his clothes.

“Ivy and you are important to my parents. I want to learn to know you, and although I know your mother is pretty pissed of at you for some reason, she will come around. She always does.”

Sasha had no answer to that. Instead, she tried to hold even pace with Elias, who with a fast pace toke the stairs up to his bedroom. Inside of it, he pulled the curtains, blocking the sun. He pulled her away from the door and looked gravely at her.

“I will want that orb back pretty soon Sasha. It did help with the healing of the elemental power, but it is time for you to show me the same trust I have in you. I have been patient with you.”

“You have”, Sasha said and wetted her lips. It took effort for her to admit it. He had been patient, and she had misjudged him. What she had stolen from him had not been right. Still, she was not caving in. Sasha would have to come up with an excuse. It was her stupidity that had stopped her from already doing so. She had wondered why he hadn’t insisted on getting it back way sooner. Still, she had no answer as to why she intended on keeping the orb. Or worse, using it to kill his father.

“Well, I guess you are right, I have gotten all my magic back after all, with interest.”

“For now, I want you to wait in my walk-in closet”, Elias said. “Just stay there. I assume you are aware of the witch snitching?”

A cold shiver runs up Sasha’s spine. She was well aware of the dirty business and hated the very knowledge that it happened within their kingdom. That the cruelest crimes were committed by the very ones that should protect them.

“Why do you ask?”

A knock was heard on the door. Elias quickly turned around a hunted expression in his eyes.

“I have not the time now, wait for me here”, he said and opened the door to the closet. He hushed her inside. Elias let his hands run through the white stubborn hair and let out a heavy sigh. “The dragons caught me at a bad time. I was occupied when I got the news about your accident. I”, Elias hesitated and looked at her with the eyes almost shining gold, “Try not to judge me, please?”

Sasha nodded as Elias silently closed the door. She put her eyes to the keyhole. She had the sinking feeling she really wouldn’t like what came next.