The next morning the camp was buzzing with the excitement of the impending battle. Victor had gone scouting and returned to say that there was an enemy encampment not far away and that if they were quick, they could take the enemy by surprise. They were quick.
The battle was fast with few casualties. The enemy soldiers, when they saw Mikail’s men bearing down on them, decided to flee.
"I saw how well you fought today, Victor," said the captain after the battle, "if you did not have my trust before, you have it now." He put his hand on Victor’s shoulder.
"I was not hurt in the battle and am not wounded now." There was a certainty in her voice the captain recognized, but the fact that she was speaking through gritted teeth made him doubt her words. Then he realized that she was using her own voice, not that of Victor. Now he knew something was wrong."Then sit down and tell me why you are moving like your insides are trying to come out!" concern would have been evident in his voice if she had not been too distracted by pain to listen."Have you forgotten that I am female under this disguise?" she asked him as she sat down like he ordered."I wish I could, but that is hardly the point right now."&nbs
"With one leg on either side of my horse, just like you. Remember that I have to be Victor and will be allowed to be preoccupied with my assignment." He smiled slyly. After dinner he said, "I must congratulate you, by the way. It seems that while I was in prison, you saved the city of Tshen from an oncoming attack.""Tshen?" asked the captain, "I thought they were going to invade the small village west of Tshen and could not understand why. That makes better sense to me now. You got that out of that journal?""Yes. And some other stuff. I am not finished with it, but it looks like you have been a real pain." Sylvia smiled at him, though he could see the pain etched in every line of her face."I did find two other journals among some of the lower ranking soldiers
Chapter 5 Ian’s SinCaptain Tane was aware of Victor moving around the tent only because there was a black shadow that wasn’t staying still. "See ya in a while!" he said as the shadow slid under the back of the tent. There was a light pat on the tent near his head in reply.Victor made his way silently up the river to the pool at the bottom of the small waterfall. He navigated through some tall reeds to the shore and started removing his disguise. Finally, Sylvia thought as she unlaced her corset, it feels like forever since I have had this thing off. She thought it felt like heaven as she walked into the water.
"I think I’d rather the captain do that,ifyou don’t mind," Ian said spitefully."Suit yourself." Victor passed the Veritásto Captain Tane."Ian, you can’t say anything to anyone," the captain told him as he cut the vines, "Sylvia has made a bond with me and if they find out Victor is Sylvia in disguise, then she will be dead and so will our chances of winning this war.""If she has earned your trust, I will do nothing to dispel this illusion. I, however, still do not trust her. I will have my eyes on you,Victor," he pronounced the name harshly, "Captain, what kind of bond did she make?""Ian I always feel better when I know you are watching carefully over me, bu
Ian looked at her. He had wanted this. His captain would banish her before she could do any more damage if he said nothing. She had fallen to her knees and Mikail was preparing for the strike. "Wait." The captain turned toward Ian."Is there more?""Yes...and no. She is telling the truth. It was before you took her on, so there would not have been any promise to keep. I have born the weight of this sin for quite some time."The captain looked at Ian hard. He was trying to decide if Ian was reacting to her influence or if he was acting out of his own will. His answer would not come from Ian."Ian, you did nothing wrong.""How can you say that? You know what happened better than I do m
Chapter 6 Retribution’s ContractFor another week, everything seemed to be going smoothly, then they had word that there had been sightings of a small band of enemy forces near the city of Nash. It was not far from where they were, but they had been headed in the other direction. Sylvia was just getting back from scouting to find Ian in the tent with the captain."Nash is closer anyway and we do need to restock our medical supplies." The captain was telling Ian as she slipped under the back of the tent. They were facing each other with one side to the opening and the other side in her direction. "We will not now have time to gather the herbs ourselves and then to dry them."
As they climbed into the coach, he took off his hood to reveal that he was indeed nobility. He was the lord in charge of this city. Sylvia relaxed a little. Then he started talking. "I cannot be seen in public with you, I apologize if I startled you.""There is not much that can startle me, but I am on a tight schedule at the moment.""Ah, yes. It is widely known here that you follow Captain Tane. But that means you do not have much time because his moves have become more secret of late. My problem is this: I am in charge of maintaining the peace in this city, but one of my top guards does not always want to follow the law. I have not been able to find anyone trustworthy who will tell me what goes on, but I have heard that he takes ruthless advantage of any female prisoner he comes in c
"I liked this dress. You have failed the test," she told him as she took his sword from its scabbard and sliced deeply into his stomach. She then took the blade from his hand (broken at the wrist in the process) and castrated him. He stood as well as he was able to strike her again, but she cut him from bottom to top – just as the guard he had taken the keys from walked in."Do not shout out," she told the trembling guard. She took the keys from the belt of the dead man. And saw the other guard back up as if to run for help. "Are you afraid of me?" she asked him sweetly."Yes," he replied as he shook."You need not fear me." she told him as she opened the door and left the keys in the lock, "So long as you let me pass, I will not harm you." She added her persuasive tongue to aid