Tariel Ingerina

When Phoenix got home around sunset, Elliot was making evening meal, having finished the meadow an hour ago and was quite pleased with himself. Phoenix didn't acknowledge the small task she set for her friend but did notice the wonderful aroma of elk and roasting vegetables. Her mouth watered and she near floated to the kitchen to see him finishing something on a cutting board. She got some water and went to see what he was doing, then saw a plate full of amazing food. Elliot must have been cooking all day for him to have made elk, roasted vegetables, salad, and bread.

"Holy shit, Elliot!" she exclaimed. "You seriously didn't have to do all of this!"

He smiled at her and shrugged. "It's the least I could do for you saving my life."

"I've saved your life many times! What makes last any different?"

Elliot paused his plating and seemed to be in his own thoughts for a moment before shaking his head. "It's for everything, Phoenix. Ever since we first met."

Phoenix frowned and tried to read his expression. Was that regret there? "It's no problem. That's what friends are for."

He nodded slowly, eyes faraway. Then, he snapped out of it and grabbed two full plates of food and carried them to the table, that was set with fine china. "Also, we haven't had a real meal in a long time. I figured we should treat ourselves."

Phoenix was a little surprised and speechless at his hard work. All she asked him to do was trim the meadow, why did he go all out making a meal and setting the table? "Um, what's the special occasion?"

"There is none," he lied. She knew he lied by the way his throat bobs and his eyes glanced away. "I just wanted to do something nice for you."

She nodded slowly and sat down while he set her plate in front of her. When he sat and took up his fork and knife, she said, "Not to ruin your fun, but I have something we need to do tonight."

He looks at her now with intent eyes, not one bit surprised or disappointed. "What's that?"

"We need to find Tariel Ingerina, watch his place, and see if he lives with anyone."

Elliot pauses and puts his utensils down. "What did he do?"

Phoenix stayed silent and stared through Elliot, to somewhere far away, as if she could see that day happen before her. He will die for what he did. He will be tortured for what he did to me, for what he did to that poor man. She swallowed and blinked, coming back to the present. "He is someone who has hurt a lot of people, and he will pay."

Elliot didn't ask anything more about this Tariel guy, but he did wonder what would be so bad that Phoenix got a murderous look in her eyes. He had seen Phoenix kill people, but never had she had a look of murder and anticipation on her face before. It was scary and unlike her. He asked, "And we're making him pay, when?"

"Tomorrow night," she says and starts eating. Elliot nodded and began to eat as well.

They found Tariel Ingerina and followed him about all night while keeping at a distance. From what it looked like, he lived with no one and lives a luxurious life compared to twenty years ago. He was now wealthy and the house he has was simple yet large. His clothes were expensive made by the creatures in the Ethereal Archipelago. Phoenix nearly gagged at his use of money and would have probably vomited if she wasn't on a roof above his head at that moment.

They followed him until dawn then went home to rest. Devdan and Ecthrois went into town while leaving Advandth at the Ironshade's house. She was reluctant to listen, but after the man had scolded her again this morning, she kept her mouth shut. The two men followed their prey with silence and precision, becoming invisible in the shadows of buildings and on top of the roofs. They never got too close, never let others see them, and never stayed together for long unless to make an update on something the other might have missed.

At the end of the day, Devdan stayed behind as Ecthrois left to fetch Advandth and the man at their agreed meeting place. It didn't take him long since the meeting place was only a block away at the coffee shop. They sat at the window, no mug in their hands, and paying no attention at the furtive glances shot their way by the villagers. When the two saw Ecthrois, they casually stood up, looking like a young couple, and exited the little building, making their way around a corner before the man let the woman's arm drop to her side. He dusted off his sleeve and turned to his comrade. "Well?"

"He's home. Dev is there right now."

Advandth crossed her arms. "Why are we going after this man again?"

Ecthrois looked at her with distaste. "It's a job. There's no need for reasons. We do what we are told."

The man nodded in agreement and said, "Speaking of which, I met him today and I guess we're taking too long at our job. I'm taking too long at my other job as well. He expects me to be able to do so much at one time."

"You know if you don't—"

"I know what happens, Advandth. But I'm only one person," he hisses.

Ecthrois is silent until now and says, "Whatever. This job will be done tonight. We get in, kill him, get out. No one will know it was us."

The man nodded and took a deep breath, another person's blood on his hands, but this time, for good reason. Very good reason. The three of them walked to their victim's house and stood as Devdan jumped down from a tree nearby and started picking a lock. Ecthrois kept a look out while Advandth and the dark man beside her waited patiently. After thirty seconds, there was a click and then the door opened. Devdan stood back and returned himself to his tree, silent as the night.

The man and Advandth strode into the house with determination and stopped just inside. The lights were on and their victim was caught in a net hung from the ceiling, swaying slightly back and forth. Inside the net, their victim struggled fruitlessly to get out, but ended up tangling himself in the ropes. When he noticed the two standing there, he furrowed his brows. "What the hell is Ironshade doing in my house?"

"Admiring someone's handiwork," Advandth said with a satisfied smile that they didn't have to hunt for their prey.

"Who did this?" her comrade asked in a low voice.

"How should I know? I got home and was caught up in this net by surprise. Nobody was here."

"Onyx, maybe we should wait?" Advandth said, crossing her arms. "Maybe the person who's responsible for this will show up soon?"

"This isn't supposed to be a gathering of assassins, Addie. This is supposed to be kept in the dark!" Onyx said with barely contained rage. "Whoever did this will surely die if they think this is all it takes to keep him bound."

"Uh," their victim whimpered, "It is, actually. I'm unarmed and stuck in here."

Advandth seemed impressed, striding up to the net and looking carefully at the ropes. "This must have cost a fortune!"

"Who cares?"

"Onyx, Advandth!" Ecthrois called. He walked inside the house and only glanced at the man in the net before settling his eyes on them. "We have company."

Both of them walked outside and stared at Devdan's defensive position, then at the two dark figures before him: a boy and a woman. The boy seemed to be unsteady with the knife he held in his hand, but the woman looked comfortable, if the twin blades at her back were any indication. When she looked up, her gaze fell on Onyx and widened in surprise before wiping all emotions from her face. Onyx was surprised as well, but for a whole other reason that had nothing to do with why she might be here.

Advandth gestured to the man in the net behind her and said, "Is that your doing, because I must say it was incredible!"

The woman with red hair glanced at her and didn't answer. Instead, Ecthrois said flatly, "You have no business being here. This man is not a thug off the streets who is stupid and—"

"I know who he is," their visitor hissed. "And I don't care. He deserves everything I have to offer. So, get out of my way."

"It's four against two," Onyx said matter-of-factly. "You don't stand a chance on your own."

"I'm not on my own."

He snorted in amusement. "You most definitely are alone. That boy has no grip on that knife and probably has no idea how to use it. So, my friend from the bridge and coffee shop, you are on your own and you won't make it past all four of us."

"We aren't friends, Handsome. We're enemies as long as you bar my way from getting what I came for."

From inside the house, the man in the net shouted, "Don't let her come near me! I've heard of her before! She's Phoenix! The Phoenix!"

Onyx rose his brows in surprise before calling to him, "Shut up! You have no room to talk."

There was a whimper from the captive, but the two groups ignored him. Phoenix stood straighter and smirked. "Elliot, leave. Go back home and wait there. I'll be there soon."

The boy, glared at Phoenix and shook his head. "No!"

"Do as she says, boy!" Advandth. Hissed. "She's probably the only thing standing between you and death right now. Besides, you wouldn't want to see the bloodshed."

"I've seen plenty of blood!"

"Go!" Phoenix growled, turning to him. "I'll handle this alone. Please, just go."

Pressing his lips tightly together, Elliot nodded. He could see the emotions in her eyes that she hid from the others and decided it was not worth the argument. Slowly, he started back the way they'd come, looking back once to see Phoenix slump a little and turn her back on him.

Onyx saw the reluctance in the boy's eyes, but ignored it and said to Phoenix, "So, you're Phoenix?"

She stiffened slightly at the name, but her expression of defiance didn't change. "And you are?"

"Ironshade. We're here on business and are not supposed to let anyone know about this."

"I see, well, I'm a great keeper of secrets so you don't have to worry about me." Phoenix started toward the house, but Devdan put a knife to her throat. She smirked. "How about you go back to your boss and tell him you killed him, and I'll finish the job?"

"Can't."

"Why not?"

Onyx shrugged and gestured for Dev to let her get closer then turned around and went inside to where Tariel was still stuck in the net, if not more so. She walked behind him, keeping her body stiff and eyes alert on everything, but she prided herself on her handiwork. Onyx said, "We need proof of his death, a head, a heart, or something significant to show for our success."

Tariel whimpered again and started to struggle, only to have Phoenix catch his leg and pull down on it sharply. "Fine. Just let me do the killing."

"Why should I? What is your reason for wanting him dead?"

Phoenix stared out into space for a good long minute before answering. "Personal reasons. You wouldn't understand…"

Onyx's dark eyes flashed with some unknown ferocity. "Don't tell me what I would and wouldn't understand, Phoenix. Just because I'm ruthless, it does not mean I am heartless." From the doorway, Devdan and Advandth snickered.

Phoenix glared at all four of them. "I'm not saying you're heartless, I'm saying you don't know what I've been through, and therefore you wouldn't understand. Besides, I'm not someone to spill my heart out to unknown men who just so happens to elude my vision until the other day."

"Elude your vision?" Onyx asked with venom. "My dear Firebird, just because you know everyone in this town does not mean you're around everyday at the same time I am. I don't like to make myself known."

"Obviously."

Onyx sighed in exasperation and looked at his victim with malice. "I can't let you kill him yet. I need information which you are not privy to."

Phoenix huffed and brought out a serrated knife. "Fine, then let me give some pain."

The dark eyes watched her for a moment and he was a little surprised by how young she looked. Sure, he had been around murder all his life, but a woman like her should have never had to see anything like this—let alone offer to do the torture herself. Yes, she had a hard exterior with walls stronger than the strongest steel, but she seemed to have another part of her. Her reaction to the boy being in danger was one indication of her emotions behind her walls, and the way she went silent when he asked her about her reasons was another sign that she wasn't as strong as she pretended.

After a moment, Onyx shook his head and quickly grabbed the knife from her. "No. Go home. You don't need to be here."

Phoenix glared at him with blue eyes. "Who do you think you are, telling me what I need?"

"Someone who has been through this since the day I was born," he hissed then pointed to Advandth. "She has been through this since her mother sold her to Ironshade! This isn't a life we chose for ourselves! But you did. Let it go, Phoenix. It's not worth the anger and the strength inside you. Whatever he did, let it go."

Tears filled her eyes and she wiped them away quickly. "I'm just supposed to not remember anything and let him live, to call what he did okay and let him go? I'm supposed to live my life knowing he might do it all again?"

"No," Ecthrois replied. She looked at him in shock, forgetting he was there because of how silent he was. "Not let him go, not forget, and not say everything is okay. Just let Onyx do what he knows because he won't let this man go, even if wasn't the boss's orders. He won't let another innocent person get hurt by him."

Phoenix was speechless and Onyx was irritated, but both stared at each other while their thoughts raced in their heads. Phoenix, debating on just throwing a surprise attack and instantly killing this man, or to listen to this group and walk away, knowing she was trusting others to get her revenge for her. Memories of that night flashed through her mind in a whirlwind and she found it difficult to breathe.

Onyx was irritated with Ecthrois for trying to console the woman by telling her how good he was—which he wasn't. This man was nothing but good, the complete opposite, dangerously far from being any form of good there is. But no matter what, Ecthrois was right. He wouldn't let this man go for anything. His own reasons buried deep within and fueling the urge to kill along with the woman's breaking walls. He knew something horrible must have happened to her if she couldn't let this go, knew because he felt the same way. This wasn't just a job like he'd said to her, this was something more, but he wasn't about to share.

After a long silence, Devdan hesitantly stepped forward. "Not to interrupt, but the sun is coming up and people are coming."

Onyx cursed and turned to him. "How long do we have?"

"Minutes."

The man was about to turn to Phoenix and make her a deal, but when he looked to where she was standing, she had fled. He looked around and heard another door far in the house slam shut. "Ecthrois, go to the boss and tell him what has happened. Advandth, help Devdan hide the evidence."

"What about you?" Advandth asked.

Onyx cut the rope holding the net to the ceiling and untangled the man from it, holding him by the upper arm. "I need to have a little talk with our friend here."