Discover L (Book 2) | Complete |

~~ It's Better This Way ~~

L would never usually pull rank but this was important, and the royals would be unlikely to refuse- it wouldn't look good.

Robbie ran from the room, and L used the time while she was waiting to try and get a better look at who the assailant might be. Their hood still covered their face, and they were trying their hardest to break free. L wouldn't, couldn't, let that happen.

"Who are you and why were you trying to kill me?"

There was no answer, only renewed efforts to escape. L couldn't fathom why someone would come to kill her now, she'd been there long enough they could've done it days ago.

"I said, who are you and why were you trying to kill me?"

Still no answer, and L could tell from the strain of their breathing that whoever it was was livid. Maybe failure hadn't been an option for them, but L was definitely a fan of disappointing people. She watched the stranger in the barrier, how they moved, their gloved hands and hooded shape gave nothing away as to who they were.

She had no choice but to wait until reinforcements arrived. The room was slowly being engulfed in flames, the smoke was thick and made L cough, but she couldn't risk moving and losing her grip on the barrier. Luckily it was barely five minutes later when her back up came rushing in. Six members of the royal guard, along with Robbie and Bryce, and the king and queen. Everyone besides Robbie was fully dressed, but equally as confused.

Bryce rushed to L's side and began dousing the flames. "What happened?" He called to L.

"I'll explain, someone grab them." She gestured with her head to the figure thrashing in the barrier.

Their efforts seemed to have doubled since the royal guard had arrived. Bryce gestured for the guard to surround the barrier and the moment L lowered her magic, they used theirs to restrain the attacker. Ropes of orange magic held their arms, wrists, legs, feet and torso, making it impossible for them to move, let alone escape.

L took a deep breath, letting the relief wash over her. Bryce turned to face L, his concern vying with something else, L didn't realise what it was until he pulled her in for a hug. She felt the same emotion wash over her, tightening her arms around him. They wouldn't say how much they'd missed each other, not while there were so many onlookers. The hug conveyed what they needed it to, for now. When they pulled away Bryce checked her over.

"Are you alright?"

L coughed, trying to clear the smoke she'd inhaled from her lungs, "I'm fine, mostly annoyed and confused."

Bryce turned as L did, facing the attacker who now had their head bowed. They could do nothing while L and Bryce approached.

"I think we should probably get to the bottom of this then. Find out exactly what's going on."

Bryce reached out and pulled the attackers hood down. A collective gasp rippled throughout the room, L felt her jaw drop to the floor. Latia's defiant face stared back at them, her eyes were cold and her lip curled when she glared from L to Bryce. She looked like a completely different Elf, older and more cutthroat, which was made more evident by the deadly magic she'd wielded moments before.

"Latia, you... but why? Why would you want to kill me?"

She didn't respond at first, but there was no remorse in her expression. She didn't care about what she'd done, only about escaping, which she made obvious when she eyed the window. She was so far removed from the timid girl who helped them out and worried about getting into trouble.

L couldn't take her eyes off of Latia while she relayed the story of what happened to everyone listening. Someone gasped when she mentioned the colourful magic hanging above her sleeping form, but it was the next part that would get them. L paused, something about the way Latia held herself through the retelling, it reminded L of somebody, and gave her an idea.