Chapter Two

•••••Saber's Perspective•••••

Handing her my arm, I couldn't help but huff. It was clear this woman was out of her mind, yet for some reason I couldn't shake this need to let her do it. However, that was not going to stop me from making my disdain clear.

"Great, I'm a Guinea pig again, just like I was in the training camp."

Waiting for her to inject the tonic I couldn't help but watch her. She intrigued me… She was like a child in a candy store that had just been told they could pick anything they wanted, and I couldn't help but find it adorable. I mean, I could die, yet here she was, somehow making it seem like nothing.

Within seconds of the liquid entering my bloodstream I began to feel my temperature rise. Every muscle in my body screaming in pain as if I had just been pummeled by a damned troll. Yet there she was, still talking to me like this is some sort of "typical procedure". Her smile was intoxicating.

"Oh, so you've been to Stantòn. I guess you understand then why I was hoping you weren't dead."

She spoke and I wanted to laugh. I mean, did this woman hear herself? Her words were beyond contradictory as she had already told me that this could kill me, yet she talks about how she hoped I wasn't dead. Did that mean she had changed her mind? I wanted to ask but almost as if she knew it, she continued.

"I mean, it's one thing to be in the prison, but the Griffi… Ugh, self-righteous asses, who do they think they are?"

"You blow up, one park bench setting a few trees on fire, and they think you're some sort of terrorists or something. It was a fricken accident."

Finally, I couldn't help myself and let out a small laugh. She was so confusing, wanting me alive, not wanting me alive, and now she's over here rambling about a park and acting like other planets don't exist, as if I was just some local. Was it common for people to look like me around here or something?

After all, no one can miss the fact that she herself was sporting a very real set of dog ears on top her head.

"Stantòn? Where the hell is that? I'm from the planet S'eran. And you say terrorist I say a messy job."

••••Adalynn's Perspective••••

Tilting my head at him I blinked. S'eran… Planet… Messy job. This man had to be suffering from side effects, cause he clearly wasn't listening to me. And sure, there were other planets, but no one ever visited Zenith via the tethers. After all, it's cold here. Like really cold. Only the locals and I love it here, but we're all accustomed to it. Speaking with slight agitation I was about to set him straight one way or another.

"Messy job? I will have you know there was no mess, alright. Like there was seriously nothing left of that poor park bench, plus, like I said it was an accident, not a job."

"Also, what? S'eran. Where is that? I've honestly never heard of that city. Fuck, don't tell me you are from the Dead Zone. I knew those Venedrake assholes were hiding something."

Looking at me like I was crazy he tilted his head, replying to me.

"Well, if nothing was left, I guess you could say that wasn't messy. Man, I could have used what you had on my last job."

"Oh, and S'eran is my home planet, not a town. My people are called the Nocturna."

I laughed at his words, unable to help myself. His words sounded like the ramblings of a mad man. In all my life, no one, and I mean no one, had ever come through the tether. I would be more inclined to believe him otherwise, but again, with the injection and the fact that no one came here, I just couldn't wrap my head around it. It just had to be a side effect of the injection.

"Okay, so were delusional. Any other side effects or have we just gone loopy?"

Letting go of his arm I laughed a bit more before picking up the second towel. Tossing it into the same cauldron, as I responded to him.

"Look, perhaps you should lay down or something, and like not here, cause I really don't have time to play babysitter to a guy who may or may not get up, let alone know his ass from a streetlamp."

"But hey, it was fun entertaining your psychosis so thanks."

•••••Saber's Perspective•••••

As she spoke everything that I had been admiring about her quickly began to fade, her words riling me up like no one had ever before. How could this woman be so intriguing yet so infuriating at the same damn time.

It wasn't until she said her last words though that I utterly lost it. Was she seriously going to call me delusional and then just kick me out like I was some riffraff that blew in.

"Delusional? Tell me you're not serious right now. There is no way you are that isolated that you don't know there are other planets in this system. I mean have u ever seen anyone like me or even close to me around here?"

By this point my blood was boiling and I had something to prove. No way was this mutt going to use me as a Guinea pig, tell me what to do, and then just toss me out like I was the trash. I was gonna show her. Placing my hands out I produced a fire ball in my right hand and an ice shard in my left as I continued to yell at her.

"That's right, you haven't because I am Nocturna, I am a proud assassin, and if I really wanted to, I'd set this place up in smoke. So don't you dare call me delusional. Now good thing for you is you've been kind enough to help me, so I won't."

"Not to mention your shop is quite magnificent so it would be such a waste. But don't think for a second, I won't change my mind. Oh, and don't u think I would have died by now from whatever you injected me with?"

She blinked at me and smirked softly before speaking clearly, not afraid of me or what I had just done. It was new for me as the people where I lived all feared me. Her voice was soft and extremely calm as she replied.

"No, I know there're more planets in the solar system but honestly, I would really, and I mean really, not suggest setting this place on fire, cause we absolutely will both die. There are a lot of explosive potions in this building."

"Like maybe enough to level this city so, chances of you escaping with your life are not high. But hey, at least I won't end up in Stantòn, so by all means level the place, if you're that desperate to make your point."

Calming a bit, I put my hands down, breaking my connection to the magic and blinked at her. This woman was absolutely mad. I mean I just threatened to kill her, and she casually tells me not to before encouraging me to. Sighing softly, I shook my head and responded.

"Look I'm not trying to be found at the moment and have no intentions of doing a messy job. Plus, you have such a lovely place here so we can't let it go up in flames."

I then blinked at her a bit curious about her comment on the explosives.

"By the way, what you just said, you were being metaphorical right, cause I can make you a deal, and I don't make deals often. But if anyone tries to come burn this place down or anything, I'll be sure to make an example of them."

••••Adalynn's Perspective••••

Laughing softly at him I shook my head. Why did he think I was being metaphorical? Was it common for people to act like he would die if he harmed them or their stuff? Glancing around my shop I replied to him while wondering if maybe he had issues with reading as everything in the place was clearly labelled.

"Trust me, no one's going to do anything to this place. Hell, they won't even come near the place after the last guy. In my defense, I warned him, it's not my fault he agreed."

Turning away from him, I started making my way back to my desk at the back of the store, as I continued to speak.

"Oh, and I don't do metaphorically. Now if you're good you can um... Do whatever it is you people do."

"I, however, am going to go back to work. After all, this stuff doesn't magically make itself like some think."

He laughed at me, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I wasn't sure exactly what about what I said was so funny but before I could ask, he spoke.

"No offense, but if no one comes here, why do you keep making things? I mean don't get me wrong your explosive potions I'll be happy to buy, I need to replenish my supply."

"I only have Recker venom left, and before you ask yes, it's from my planet. Reckers have a very potent venom that causes their prey to die a…"

"Hmm, how should I put this, extremely agonizing death. The names Saber by the way, and who might you be?"

Turning around I blinked at him. He said he didn't do messy jobs yet here he was talking about some venom that causes agonizing death. Last I checked, a dead body is messy, in and of itself, not to mention the cleanup can take hours depending on how exactly the person died. Then you add in explosives and that is just a recipe for messy. Responding, I couldn't help but giggle a bit.

"I thought you said you don't do messy jobs. You know with explosives it's always messy. But hey, to each there own. Poisons are to the left, walk about a quarter of the way down. I even have a few that will dispose of whatever it is you are hunting."

"Careful using them on wood though, burns a nasty hole in the floor. I also think we got ones that are a bit nastier and have no known antidote. Explosives are on the right wall closest to the front desk... Or well back I guess."

I then turned back around and headed back to the desk to sit down. Paying as little attention to him as I could, I opened my book and that is when he spoke.

"So how much is it for your goods? Does 100 gold suit your fancy? Cause I think your shop, and you, will come in handy."

I ignored the question as it was clear this man had never shopped before in his life. I mean 100 gold. For what? Are you buying it bulk? Are you buying more than one item? Are you buying more than 100? The question was loaded and had no genuine answer without knowing exactly what he was wanting first.

Glancing up from my book, as he approached the desk, I forced a smile and that's when he spotted it. My business cards. Picking one up and reading it, he quickly looked at me and spoke.

"Doctor? Wait, you're a doctor?!"