The Rebel Assassin

Chapter 31: Return to the Protectorate

Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long since I updated. I can almost guarantee I dislike the fact more than you do. Anyway, since you've waited so long, I thought you should see some action this time! Enjoy!

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A day of hard riding brought us from Stellum to the bounds of the Protectorate. We crossed into the sprawling city, letting the horses slow to a walk now that we were here. We would deal with getting back into Solangia tomorrow, through the infamous Bandit's Pass. It would be too much to expect an easy journey home. But for now, we were relaxed and cheerful, though tired.

"I think I heard once that Guardians are immortal," Gal volunteered to our conversation. He sounded so eager to dredge up this rumor that I considered humoring him for a little while, but Dell didn't give me the chance.

"That doesn't help us. We can't fake immortality."

"Isn't that what you do everyday?" Nick asked me. I tried to kick him across the space between our horses, and only succeeded in irritating both of them.

"Well, we don't get much information at the university," Gal said, obviously crushed. He'd tried so hard to contribute helpfully during the unending trek from Stellum. Hard to believe this eager-to-please puppy of a boy had fought like the Black Knight he was when the princess's guards attacked us two weeks ago.

Thinking of that, I looked over my shoulder warily. We'd seen no trace of the princess's elite guards, and I didn't really expect them to still be hanging around, but that didn't mean I was right, or that the city was safe.

Of all people, it was Joshua who attempted to soothe Gal. "That's a good reminder that we should have people start spreading that rumor around, though. It can only help the plan. Who's keeping the list of things to do when we get back to Maenar?"

"I am," Wes sighed. "And I put that down the first time it came up. Do you know how hard it is to write while you're riding a horse?"

"You're the one who bragged about your penmanship," Dell said.

"Bad move," I put in. "I only ever brag about how bad my handwriting is."

Joshua twisted around in his saddle to glare at me. "You brag about so many things so often, I think that might be the biggest lie you've ever told."

"Impossible," I said. "I've told way bigger lies, lots of times, because I'm a great liar and no one ever catches me at anything."

He groaned and faced forward again as Nick laughed. "I think you're worse when he's around to egg you on."

"I am perfectly capable of irritating you on my own." I swept another look around the streets, checking for anything suspicious. So far, we were the most suspicious thing around, and I wanted it to stay that way.

Dell snapped her fingers for attention. "Can we get back on topic? False Guardian theories and rumors, anyone."

"I think we've gone through all the ones we know," I said. "And we still have the book Ari lent me to look through." I could tell it hurt her to let the book on Guardians leave her library, but she let me take it when I promised she could have her pick of the royal library if the rebels won.

Surprisingly, despite her strong opinions on the Emorian revolution and her dire warnings on the fate of the Guardians if the Solangian revolution continued, Ari didn't seem that concerned with stopping me from helping to end the monarchy. She'd issued her warning, shared her knowledge, and was now interested only in her research.

"If you win," she'd said, "I might come to Solangia to study the long-term effects on the Guardian Cycle."

That was a scary enough promise that I'd made a mental note to send her every interesting book the royals had to keep her busy for the next fifty years.