Feathers Adrift

Chapter 9: The Hidden Truth

~Lain~

Lain ran up to Tiadrin as she walked to the assassin hideout.

"Tiadrin!" he called. She turned around with a confused expression.

"Yes?" she said.

"I just wanted to tell you something. Laveer is not to be trusted. I once had a good friend like you, witty and daring. He was a better leader than Laveer. I watched him get killed, Tiadrin. I don't want the same to happen to you. Stay safe." he said, his heart beating slightly faster.

Tiadrin laughed. "I'll be fine. I'll look out for him."

They walked together. Surprisingly, as they entered, only Laveer was there.

"Where are the rest of the assassins?" Lain asked out of curiosity.

"This is a mission just for you and me, Lain. We are going to infiltrate a camp." Laveer replied. "Tiadrin, you are not needed."

She gave a slight nod and looked in my direction.

Be careful, her face read.

Lain cautiously followed Laveer to the edge of the Silvergrove forest. Suddenly, he abruptly stopped. He looked into his menacing eyes.

"I've had enough. Time to end this!" he said, launching toward me. I immediately flung out my blades.

So this was what this mission was? To drag him to the edge of Silvergrove just to kill me? Lain dodged his attacks flawlessly, clashing his blades with Laveer's. He jumped off the tree and attacked me once again, this time his weight overwhelming for him. Lain retaliated in anger.

"I remember what you did to Savi! And that will never happen again!" Lain yelled at him furiously.

"After I end you, I'll end Tiadrin for your sake too!" he growled, laughing hysterically.

Their swords clashed again, and he managed to fling one of Lain's blades onto the other side of the field. Lain ran towards it, mustering all his strength. He picked it up and made a loop. He had to be cautious. Laveer had the upper hand in this battle so far. But before he could reach the end of the forest, Laveer struck both his blades at him. Lain blocked one but realised the other was going to pierce his other side. But he was too late. As the pain struck him, Lain let out a bloodcurdling scream.

~Tiadrin~

As she was walking towards the forest, enjoying the breeze, Tiadrin heard a scream so painful it hurt her ears. She recognised that voice immediately. It was Lain's voice. She hurried toward the direction of the sound and halted in her tracks when she saw what she saw.

Lain lay unconscious against the tree, face wrenched in pain while using one hand to hold a wound on his side. Laveer, on the other hand was breathing harshly, about to attack him. Before he could though, she launched herself and blocked him with her sword, making it lash out like a snake against him. He pulled back.

"I knew you would come. Poor Lain, fallen hard for you. Now I will end you!" Laveer sneered.

Remembering the times she and Lain trained together, she charged and swung her sword, making it split and extend. It grabbed onto his blade, and she flung it onto the tree. Then she leapt up from tree to tree, while he followed her from the ground. Then at the right time, she leapt at him, putting her full force on his weight. His other blade went to the other side of the place. Then Tiadrin landed some punches, causing him to fall unconscious.

Then she rushed to Lain's side.

"Lain, are you okay?" Tiadrin asked frantically. She ripped out a piece of my satchel, using the cloth to cover his cut. When he didn't reply, she slowly lifted him up, placing one of his arms around her neck.

From behind, she saw Ethari and Runaan running towards her, both panting heavily.

"What happened? Why is my father here?" Runaan asked.

"Your father tried to kill me and Lain." Tiadrin replied angrily, trying to balance Lain's weight.

Ethari gave her a horrified look, but didn't hesitate to help. They lay him against a tree and Ethari started to try and heal him.

"I still can't believe..." Runaan said.

They carried him and Laveer until they reached his inn.

She lay him on his bed and for the next few days, Tiadrin sat on a chair near his bedside and snacked on his leftover cake in the cupboard.

After a lot of waiting, he regained consciousness. She told him to rest and what happened. He gave me a nod and started to sleep peacefully.

She still couldn't shake off what Laveer had said.

"I knew you would come. Poor Lain, fallen hard for you. Now I will end you!"

Lain had feelings for her he never told her. It made her feel all sorts of different emotions. She looked at Lain again. He was a good friend, but she never thought of them this way. She sighed as she struggled to stay awake. She soon felt herself drift so sleep in the chair.

Do you like the plot twist?:)

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