Return to Inheritance

Chapter V

"Were your parents assassins then?"

"No. My mother was the only one who had the chance, but she was too weak and fearful for the job. However she thought it would be a good opportunity for me to follow my grandfather's steps. She was right."

"That's interesting. I guess you were fortunate."

"I was. Maybe one day you'll think the same," he smiled.

"I hope so," she whispered, slightly sad because she strongly doubted it would happen like that. "You sure know how to make someone feel better, thanks, um..."

"Name's Benjamin."

"Thanks Benjamin."

"You're welcome, pirate girl. Alright, we're here. You can go in and the doctor will clean your wound. I'm going to leave this plate in the dining hall and be right back." The girl nodded and went inside the room as asked.

Inside there was a woman who was busy arranging some bottles on the shelves. The room was rather small, but there was another door at the opposite end which led to the medical wards. The door was open but the girl could only see so much.

"Hi there! You must be the newcomer, Beatrice, right?"

"Oh no," she whispered under her breath then pulled a smile. "I prefer Jade." The woman smiled back.

"Jade be it then! I'm Claire, it's nice to meet you. I hear you've a cut that needs to be cleaned, is it?" In response, Jade nodded and showed her where it was. "Please take a seat and keep your right hand in the air so I have access to the wound." Without a word, the girl did as she was asked. Before long, the nurse had already got all the substances she needed and was slowly and steadily working on the wound.

At first it felt cold and then it started to sting slightly, but the feeling was over quickly. As soon as the nurse was done with the cleaning about two minutes later she started bandaging it. With a long bandage she wrapped he girl's waist and up to the wound.

"Sorry I can't fix clothes too," the nurse joked and Jade smiled. "For a couple of days I want you to come here every morning so I can change your bandage."

"See you tomorrow then!"

The nurse waved goodbye, a smile always on her cheerful face. Jade waved back and felt much better now than earlier, before meeting Claire. The woman had a positively vibrating aura which simply got to her.

When she went back on the hallway, Benjamin was already waiting for her.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," the girl said and the boy smiled in amusement.

"I just got here! Claire is always quick to tend to wounds, I had to run all the way to get back in time." Jade seemed amused when hearing him say that. He was good company, she thought. "Now I fear I have to take you to see master Stefan."

"My father..." she whispered, suddenly losing all that positive energy she had gained a minute earlier. She hoped this encounter would not be as bad as the previous one. Her heart started beating faster as she recalled the last time he saw him, the previous day. Or was it still that same day? She lost track of time completely in that cell.

"Calm down. He never killed any of our own. He doesn't even punish with torture so you'll be fine."

"You're not helping. Let's just go." Jade was eager to get it over with so Benjamin showed her the way.

They were back on the long hall, the one full of doors. Still, it wasn't any of the ones she saw that they had to go through. Behind a red decorative curtain, the boy showed her a secret passage. Surely it was no secret to the assassins, but to outsiders like her. Still, she didn't feel like one anymore in his company. Right next to the curtain was a tall and thin bookcase and the blonde assassin simply pressed on a seemingly random book for the passage to open. The stone blocks started moving behind the curtain opening a darker hall with a much lower ceiling. It was wide enough for three fully grown men to walk side by side, no more.