The Puppet Assassin [TTR sequel]

The Puppet Assassin - Ch 30 [death's harvester]

So I twiddled my thumbs.

I looked around the room, taking in the pile of dirty clothes, two pairs of boots, muddy, and a folder on his desk, the front covered with scribbles and cartoons. I let out a soft laugh. I could see him being unable to keep his attention on anyone speaking for too long and drawing absentmindedly.

Hmm, he was taking a while.

I patted the blanket I was sitting on and once again wondered how he had slept on this bed comfortably. I doubted that it would fit me and he was longer.

Movement caught my eye and stiffened as the door slowly opened.

“… but don’t start anything without me, not that you can, but Liam might try and he might screw up some of their brain signals if he attempts to wake them up without my help!” he called out before shutting the door. It clicked shut and instantly the air felt thinner, the walls closing in, he seemed to take up so much room.

He turned to me and folded his arms. “What am I to do with you?” he asked, not at all jokingly. He was definitely exasperated. “We ordered you to stay within the walls and you left. I tried asking you nicely to stay hidden and you take on two of the gits by yourself. And don’t even think of saying ‘nothing happened so it’s fine’. You’re hurt. It could’ve been worse. And I’m worried that I’ll never be able to know that you’re safe. I don’t want you to be imprisoned here in this house like Luke’s ordered. I don’t want to put a guard on you twenty-four seven. I don’t want to chain you up, puppet, but you’re making it very hard for everyone to ensure your safety.” He ran his hand through his hair, the shaggy mop standing up at the front. I noticed that his knuckles were purple and red with more than a few scrapes, a sign that he’d used his fists hard. He looked tired.

“I don’t want to be put in a corner. I don’t want to be shielded,” I said quietly. “I don’t like knowing that people are getting hurt because of me while I do nothing.”

He leant back against the door. “Yes, I understand that, I’d feel the same way. But something like this, today, was not a challenge for us. You might not believe it, seeing as you grew up watching these men learning to fight, but shape changers are raised on martial arts and plenty of fitness, to distract us and wear us out so that we wouldn’t be tempted to change shape when we haven’t learnt enough. Add all that training to our enhanced senses and we’re very much unbeatable, especially when our opponent is human. Scythe learnt that quickly and got most of his men out of there quickly once he realised it was foolish. You shouldn’t have put yourself in danger needlessly. I don’t like to have to deal with a bunch of cowards when I can hear someone threatening you upstairs. I don’t like finding you like this,” he waved his hand at me, his eyes roaming over my skin.

“I’m not going to put you in a box, puppet, and throw away the key. But you have to see things from my point of view.”

“That’s sexist. Just because you’re a big guy means that you can fight but me, the dainty little girl, has to sit in a hidden room and hope you’re okay. I don’t know what you’re capable of, Larkin.”

“It’s not sexist.” He pushed off the door. “It’s right. I’m better at protecting myself than you are. That’s fact. I’m not saying you aren’t capable. I’m just saying that facing what I faced today, you wouldn’t have had a chance. You would’ve fought, you would’ve hurt them, but they would’ve gotten you in the end. Argh!” He clenched his fist and tapped it against his leg, looking frustrated. “Look, if you want a fight, to see who’s more worthy of putting themselves in front, as the shield, we can go at it later but right now I want to heal you. And I don’t want to argue.”