The Nightingale's Blade

Bullets and Juries

Here's a recap of what happened...

Yup, there was no doubt about it. The Juries had finally caught the Shadow Blade after years and years of cat-and-mouse. I turned around and opened the door when-

Back to the story...

"Who are you?"

I froze.

From behind me, I heard someone cock a gun.

"Answer me - who are you?"

"I-"

"Don't turn around, look at the door. If I see your eyes, even just the edges of them, I will blow them out of their sockets. You can trust my aim on that."

Crap.

"Who are you?"I could sense the annoyance in the person's voice, so I hastily answered:

"Scarlett Lolen. Assassin. Killer. Murderer. Whatever you want to call it. I want to join Shadow Blade."

I could hear - feel - some strange change in the mood when I said my name. It was as if the person was unsure of something, but didn't know to do about it.

"Why do you want to join Shadow Blade?"

"You're the best gang here?"

I felt the bullet whiz past my hair. This person wasn't kidding when he said he had seriously good aim.

"That's a question. I want an answer - why do you want to join Shadow Blade?"

"I'm an assassin! You're the best gang here!"

I could tell that the person was tempted to fire another bullet, but he didn't.

"How do I know you're an assassin? You could be a Jury spy."

I wasn't sure how to answer this. "I just am."

I felt the bullet closer this time.

"Give me proof!" the person behind me yelled.

"I don't- I don't-"

"Hit me," the person commanded. "Turn around, come closer to me, and hit me. Hit me as hard as you can." I tentatively spin around and nearly jump when I see that this person's right behind me. How did he sneak up without me noticing?

"Hit me," the person said again, and, mustering up all the courage I can get, I punch him straight through the jaw.

Or at least, that was what I was hoping to do.

Instead, the person sidestepped and caught my outstretched arm, his eyes scanning it as if looking for something. What could he be looking for that was so interesting about my arm?

"You're not one of them," the person muttered after a long, uncomfortable silence.

"Huh?" I asked. "Not one of who?"

The person released my arm. "The Juries, duh? What do you think? There's nothing pretty about your arm. The Juries get tattooed there so that the police don't kill them right on the spot when they spot them."

"Oh," I said. You need to think of something better to say, Scarlett.

The person seemed to go lost in thought, and meanwhile, I took a moment to study the person like a specimen under a magnifying glass. He seemed to have allowed it, for some strange reason. It was almost as if he wanted the attention.

Jerk. I thought, but I went on anyway. His dark brown hair was super messy and seemed as if he hadn't even bothered to comb it. His faded green eyes bore into mine for a bit before turning away. A girl with jet black hair, who looked about his age walked in.

"Julien!" the girl yelled. "What are you doing?"

Julian snapped back to reality? "Hm? What?...oh, hi, Ravenna. We have a newcomer."

Ravenna, the strange girl in the black cloak that seemed to match with her name, took only a glance at me and said: "Be easy on her Julien. You weren't too sure about letting me join, but look at what happened! You gained an amazing assassin." She continued, and I started to scowl. Was everybody here a narcissist? Or was this just assassin-humor? He smirked, as if not quite agreeing with her statement.

"You nearly got us killed last time when we raided the Dustwillow last week. If it weren't for me, we would've all been boiled in that incinerator that the amazing assassin decided was a good idea to climb." And then both of them started chuckling. Assassin humor it was.

"Ummmm, I'm still here!" I interrupted, suddenly stopping their chuckle-fest.

Julien and Ravenna turned to look at me, and I suddenly wished I wasn't the center of attention anymore.

"She won't last a day here," Julien said, scowling, looking at my scrawny build.

"You said the same thing to me," Ravenna replied, and then nudged Julien. "Give her a day. At worst, she comes out dead."

"Fine, but why do you really want to join Shadow Blade? Ravenna came here after another gang left her with a broken arm and a dead brother, so what about you?" Suddenly the attention was on me again, and I tried not to flinch. I take a breath and gulp. I haven't talked about my parents in forever.

"Um, my..." Don't cry, Scarlett. If you cry...

"I want to kill whoever took my parent's life."

And then there was that weird change in the mood again! Julien looked at Ravenna and then back at me, finally sighing:

"Give her a day."

Julien turned around and walked the other direction. Ravenna did the same. I realized too late that I was supposed to follow them.