Jade

Chapter 3

"Jade Briar, I am hereby offering you a pardon in the name of the king."

All around the room, people gasp. A servant drops a tray as confused people start chattering. I let out the breath I was holding in. All of the tension that was building up in my body comes out in one big exhale. For a moment I just freeze.

This is impossible.

The Captain looks dumbstruck, his mouth hanging open like a fish gasping for air. "Your Majesty, with all due respect, we cannot possibly let this criminal run rampant in our streets again!" His voice tenses as a vein on his forehead bulges with anger.

"Captain Havan, I appreciate your concern, but believe me when I say I have very good reasons for this."

I stare at the king, unable to make sense of the announcement.

For five years, I have been on the run, stealing wherever I go. I never gotten caught after that one day, and the kings guards are only one of the many people that want to find me, and ether lock me up for a long time, or kill me.
After all of this, he is offering to let me go.

I pull myself together. "What's the catch?"

King Alistair, not generally known for his compassion, smiles. "It just so happens, that I need something done. Something that requires someone of your particular set of skills." I raise a brow.
"What kind of thing?"

The room goes silent. He returns to his throne, and gestures with his hand for the rest to leave. Only him, the Captain and I stay behind. The hall is filled with a colder, more serious air. Even the King looks more tense.

"I have received information that our neighboring Kingdom of Proditio plans on starting a war." He rubs a tired hand over his face, and continues. "My people still haven't properly recovered from the previous war, and I cannot risk another. Your mission, will be to go there, and find out why they want to go to war, and what their plans are." He pauses, "I am offering you this mission, out of pure desperation. The only reason I'm not hanging you on the spot, is because we need someone that will be able to get into the castle itself to get this information. If you succeed, you will receive a pardon for all your previous crimes. Have I made myself clear?"

I rub my sore hands, taking in the information. "And what if I don't do it?"

He leans forward, his face taking on a new darkness. "Then you will die for your crimes."

I study the figure in his long robe, heavy crown and whiskered face. There is something about him that makes me feel cold. Maybe it's the leg, or maybe it's that I can't shake the feeling that he is hiding something. I am sure there is more to him than what his people see. Then again, he is giving me the chance to clear my name, completely. No more running, no more stealing, no more death... I would be free.

I take a deep, anxious breath, trying to formulate the words that I have to say.

"I'll do it."

The king smirks, forming lines around his serious eyes.
"You have made the right choice."

"I have one condition." I keep a straight face. I won't let him see my anxiety.

He wavers, looking surprised. "And what is that?"

I hold his eyes, my green eyes burning into his brown. "My friends go free too, they are just as good as me. If you want me, they come too."

I may not have known them so long, but I have to help them. I got them into this mess.

The king thinks for a while. Then finally, hesitantly he agrees, "Very well."He signals for a guard; and a few minutes later, Malcolm and Aiden are brought out. The moment I see them, a wave of relief comes over me. I have never felt so glad to see anyone in my entire life. They are okay— a little beaten up, but okay. They look confused, but the moment Aiden sees me, he risks a small smile. The king explains the mission to them.

Aiden walks closer, the guard still restraining him. I hope he doesn't do anything stupid. 

"Just wait a second. I'm all for snooping around and not dying, but how do we know you're not gonna kill us the moment we bring you the information?" he asks suspiciously.

The king seems to find this funny and says with a grin, "Well that's the fun part isn't it? You'll just have to trust me. You can refuse, but then you will leave with a noose around your neck."

Aiden is taken aback, but nods at me. "Another thing," the king says. "There will be two other men accompanying  you. One is a mercenary called Fletcher that we arrested a few months ago. Then there will be a knight from my court going with you, to make sure you don't give any trouble or stray from the mission. If you do, he has orders to kill you."

I gulp. This just keeps getting better.

The king tells a servant to go fetch them. Two men enter through the double doors. The one, a tall, muscular man with more scars than I can count. I'm guessing he's the mercenary. He scowls in my direction. I already don't like him.

Then comes the knight, the same one that let me out of the cell, only now without his helmet.

My heart stops. A swarm of butterflies, enveloped in fire flutters around my stomach. I feel rage burning inside of me, like a bubble ready to burst. Memories come streaming back. All the hurt, all the pain.

The person who ruined my life.

The reason I'm in this mess. I look into his green eyes, exactly the same as mine. His dark hair is neatly cut to frame his serious face. After all this time, I see him again, and I'm ready to rip his throat out. The bane of my existence, my own twin brother. "Keath."

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Authors Note:

Thank you for reading these first few chapters! This is my first book I am writing on wattpad so I am open to any critique, tips and advice.
Jade's journey is just beginning!

Thanks again.
Love
-Katja