Chapter 16: The Quirrin Master

The sidhe stayed for two weeks before leaving. Everyday many would go down to look at the old king. After they left things returned to normal and a few months later Winter’s Song was pregnant again. Every time I saw her she seemed more beautiful. Flower was learning to cook and was spending more time in the kitchen. She took the time to come out and move through the room as she sang though.

Sky was growing and actually staying awake longer. We had a lot more women coming to eat with the men so the atmosphere was calmer. Winter was almost over when he came, the room was crowded as Flower and Song sang together when I felt his presence and looked at the doors. He stepped into the room and his eyes swept the room before locking on mine.

He crossed the room as I turned to put Sky in the cradle on the table. The Quirrin Master sat across from me, “You should have continued to run.”

I smiled, “I was not running. I left to seek a true home.”

He looked around, “The clan is your home.”

I looked into his eyes, “You are assassins that take money to kill. You sell your honor and thought to use me to make more.”

He shrugged, “True but you owed us...”

I stood, “I owed the clan for what was given and left instead of killing all for the lies and treachery that was done. You refused to acknowledge me a full master when you knew there was no other but you that could face me.”

He stood, “And that is why I have followed, to judge and sentence you to clan death.”

I gestured to the door, “Then let us go out into the night. Clan business is clan business and not for outsiders.”

He smiled, “You have until the midnight hour to face me Lan.”

He stood before looking around the now quiet room. He glanced at me before turning to walk out. I sent everyone home and pulled Song out of the kitchen before giving her instructions in case I did not return. I knew the master would not just be waiting, I also knew where. I went to dress carefully and sat to think and let my mind center.

I stood at the midnight hour and smiled at Song and Flower before walking out. I walked to the tomb and opened it before starting down. When I entered the throne room it was dark and silent. I let my senses reach out as I took a step and brushed a thrown dart away with a dagger, “You can do better master.”

Silence answered my statement as I moved to the side and began circling the room. I deflected another dart, “You have become lazy.”

I kept moving and ignored and slight sound across the room as I turned and slipped a knife into my other hand. My dagger blocked a striking dagger and I sliced the forearm that held it before sliding back and sidestepping, “Sloppy.”

I brushed two more darts away and moved after him as he faded back. I paused and then silently drifted into the darkness using the stealth I had mastered. I stopped to listen and shook my head when a dart hit the wall several paces away. It was several minutes before I struck out and stabbed into the master’s side before moving back. I continued to move around silently and stopped to one side of a niche.

It was a long time before I felt him drifting close. He moved as if to enter the niche and I sliced across his arm cutting deep. I slipped back into the darkness and moved away, this time I stopped in the opening to a niche and waited. It was a couple of minutes before I felt the master. He slid to one side and sliced to the side of the niche and I slid in to cut his inner thigh before sliding back and away.

This time I moved to another niche and then out into the dark room. It was several minutes before I felt him again. He drifted between me and the niche before I heard the dart strike the niche wall and then the wall on each side of the entry. I slipped closer and stabbed in and out before moving sideways and back. He spun with a hiss and threw several darts before going silent.

This time I moved to the entry into the room and to one side. It was a few minutes before the master tried to move past me towards the way out. I moved in a quick strike and my knife struck his spine below the neck and above the shoulders. He dropped to the floor and there was silence. I squatted beside him, “You should have let it go.”

He gasped for air, “Kill me.”

I shook my head, “You will die soon enough.”

He cursed, “KILL ME!”

I looked into the darkness where his face was hidden, “A clan with no honor will not survive.”

I shifted and reached out to slide the blade of my dagger in under his ear and up into his brain. I stood and quietly walked out without looking back at the man that had been my mentor and father. When I walked into the tavern Song was waiting and walked into my arms.