The Emperor's Concubine

B.2 Chapter Five

I take a deep breath, the pulsing aura vibrating through the air as I sense people nearby.
Another window beside me smashes as a masked man jumps through.
He spins trying to stab me with a dagger.
I swiftly dodge, careful to not get in the way of any window.

'He's an amateur assassin. Who would send someone this sloppy?'
His movements are swift and aggressive, but sloppy.
I'm able to easily dodge his dagger, keeping close to the bookcase.
He attempts to stab upwards aiming at my neck.
I jerk my body avoiding the dagger, his dagger stabbing into the thick oak bookshelf getting stuck.
A sharp crisp sound cuts through the air as another arrow is shot inside.
I dodge, blasting my powers into the assassin to push him out of the arrows way.
He's sent back into the wall as he wheezes, the arrow stabbed into the bookcase where he stood.
I whip around sensing another presence, my hand glowing as I get ready to fight.

"Luna!"
I stop, my hand inches away from Cabel's neck as his hand holds my wrist.
My aura dies down as I view his worried expression.
"Are you hurt?" He exclaims, grabbing my shoulders as he checks my body.
"I-I'm fine." I breathe a sigh of relief, "What about the archers?"
"The other's had to put them down."

"You stupid idiot!"
I turn to see Cethin holding the assassin in a chokehold.
"C-Cethin?" I stare confused.
"Sorry, we're a bit late- God damn it, stay still!" Cethin punches the man on the head as he struggles to free himself.
"Be careful!" I shout.
"Worried about someone who tried to murder you?" Cethin laughs.
"He's not an assassin." I approach the man who wildly thrashes around, trying to escape Cethin's grip.
"What? He just tried to kill you!" Cethin shouts, confused.
"He's sloppy, unskilled, and made his presence known. He isn't some assassin a kingdom would send to get back at me."
The aura exuding off of him is heavy and sharp.
The air around him feeling manic and crazed.
I pause, feeling multiple auras. The manic and heavy aura overwhelming a weaker subtle aura.
I kneel in front of him, removing his mask.
His eyes all white with drool running down his chin.
"Ew what the hell?" Cethin shouts, disgusted.
"On the count of three, let go of him, and escape the radius around him." Cabel speaks up, pulling my arm to bring me back.
Cethin nods, scowling at the man thrashing around, drool flying everywhere.
"Three, two, one." Cabel calmly speaks.
Instantly Cethin jumps away from the man, large thin spikes erupt from the ground, trapping the man.
He growls, thrashing about as he tries to break free.
"What the hell is his problem?" Cethin shouts.
"... I can handle this." I calmly speak.
"What do you mean? You're gonna get hurt!" Cethin exclaims.
"Do you not feel it?" I ask.
"Feel what?"
"There's two auras... One of them is embedded beep into him and the other just feels like a coat..."
Cethin pauses trying to focus.
"No, I don't feel it." Cethin looks back at me, confused by my words.
"Deal with it then." Cabel speaks up.
I look back at him. He gives a supporting, trusting nod.
I nod back, smiling as I look at his belief in me.
Holding my hand out, my hand glows with a golden haze.
A bright light surrounds the man, until it fills the library.
My eyes widen as I feel a sickening heavy aura hit me, almost entering my soul.
As the light disappears the man freezes his frantic violent actions, until closing his eyes and falling to the ground.
I take a deep breath watching the man quietly lay on the ground, my stomach churning as a sick heavy feeling falls over me.
I stumble, my knees weak and shaking as I feel the strength of the aura.
Cabel's arms wrap around me, steadying me.
"What's the matter, are you okay?" He asks, concerned.
"I-I'm fine, I'm just shaken up." I take a deep breath feeling my strength return quickly.
The man lays on the ground unconscious.
Cabel clicks his tongue, annoyed.
"Bring this man into custody. Have him locked in restraints." Cabel picks me up in his arms.
"On it." Cethin nods, taking handcuffs out of his pocket.
He clicks them on the mans wrist before slinging his body over his shoulder.
Cabel walks out of the library, holding onto me tightly.