"Your scent is undistinguished this morning," Eris said as they sat at the table, eating breakfast.

"You High Fae are obsessed with scents," Evren scoffed. She pushed her food around on her plate.

"I can assure you, it's not poisoned. And while differentiating scents might not be important to you, it's an aspect of everyday life for me. I'm curious how you've managed to hide yours."

"Why do High Fae have to stick their noses everywhere?"

Eris grinned. "It's one of our more primal instincts."

"Along with your need for hierarchy."

Eris raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Evren still didn't eat. "High Lords, High Ladies, Lords, Ladies, ambassadors, servants, workers, warriors...Alphas and omegas. Everyone in these courts is sorted into a rank of some kind. Someone must always be better than someone else. Your female friend made it very clear that I am beneath her."

"And Humans don't have a hierarchy of their own?" Eris tilted his head. "What about your six Queens? Their guards and servants. The merchants, beggars, and connoisseurs?"

"The difference is that Humans have the ability to rise above their station. To my knowledge, Fae don't have that ability. Lesser Fae and Humans will always be beneath High Fae, and will be sorted out beyond that."

"Humans are blessed with a short lifespan. It motivates them to make as many changes in the world as possible, in the brief time they are here. Fae, on the other hand, don't care as much. We have eternity when compared to a Human lifespan. Why should we make changes now, when we can always make them in the next few hundred years?"

Evren sniffed, still pushing her food around with obvious disinterest. "It should be the other way around. Fae should use their long lifespans to make as many changes as possible. We Humans can do so little in our few years." She dropped her fork and rested her chin in her palm. "How old are you? How many changes have you made that affected the world?"

"542," Eris answered. "And I've made many decisions that have affected the world."

"Such as?"

"Sparing lives when I could have taken them. Taking lives when I could have spared them. Betraying my court and family to help save the only people who might one day forgive me for everything I've done. Playing my part in wars, parts on both sides, to ensure my court survives. Letting myself be seen as a monster, so that I could root out the true monsters."

Evren leaned forward, eyes flashing angrily. "All Fae are monsters." She stood abruptly. "I'm leaving for my assignment. May I have my daggers back? The bracelet too."

Eris snapped his fingers. The twin blades appeared on her hips and the bracelet slid into view on her wrist. "You never answered my original question."

"You never asked a question. You made an observation." Evren braided her hair back. "And someone in my profession knows better than to reveal their tricks." She headed towards the door.

Eris watched her curiously. She made barely a sound at all as she walked. If he were Human, he wouldn't have been able to hear her. It was a practiced silence. It was something she had taught herself, just as he had taught himself to be cruel and cunning.

"You know, I believe you're as much a monster as the creatures you kill," he said.

"Survival plays games with us. Some people become heroes. Others become monsters. Many more are victims," Evren replied. "I know I'm a monster. That is my role in the game." She left without another word. Eris' gaze dipped to her untouched plate of food. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

•~ ❘ ۞ ❘ ~•

Evren bit into a hard piece of jerky as Asper carried her down a field road. She was starving and exhausted, but determined to finish these assignments as soon as possible. She wouldn't accept the High Lord's hospitality while she was there, either. She'd slept on the floor of her bedroom and ignored the food brought in by servants. She ignored the few changes of clothes they'd brought too.

He was the son of the male who had murdered her parents. She would never accept help or hospitality from someone in that family. No, she would never accept help or hospitality from their kind. She didn't even care if the High Lord paid her or not. She was half tempted to tell him to keep his gold to himself. She wouldn't need it after she'd finished the assignments anyway.

Evren breathed in deeply, letting the cool morning air purge the irritation from her mind. Today, she would begin to avenge her parents. Mortem and Vita were heavy weights on her hips. She patted Asper's neck. "I wonder if Cadoc is missing me right now," she thought aloud. "He probably thinks I'm dead."

She could have smiled when she realized she would never have to see him again. She could have, but she didn't. She couldn't remember the last time she'd smiled. The last time she'd laughed. The last time she'd felt anything other than anger, frustration, and a cold numbness. It had been a long time; that much she knew.

Soon enough, the fresh air was tainted by the unmissable scent of smoke and rotting flesh. The rolling meadows gave way to burnt farmland. There was a small village up ahead. In the field closest to the village, stood several pikes. The severed heads of Eris' guards sat on them. It was clear they'd been there for several days. Their eyes and tongues had been plucked out and skin sagged around their skulls. Ashes wafted off the ground, disturbed by a faint breeze.

Evren rode into the village and dismounted. A few of the Fae gave her curious stares, but most ignored her. Evren lifted her gaze to the rooftops. On the far side of the village stood a house bearing a flag. The flag depicted a bear surrounded by flames, Beron's personal seal. That was where she'd find her target.

Evren studied the house and continued walking. It appeared to have two floors. There were two windows on the first floor and two more on the second. The front door seemed to be locked from the inside. There was no latch on the outside.

There's no way I can get on the roof and come in through a window without anyone noticing me, Evren thought. And I won't be able to enter through the front door. She hesitated, spying a gown hanging from a clothesline in between two houses. Her gaze flickered between the door and the gown. No, that was exactly what she would do.

Evren secured Asper to a hitching post near Selmor's house, then returned for the gown. She snagged it off the line and ducked down an alley. Evren shrugged the gown on over her clothes and weapons, making sure the gown's pockets allowed her to reach her daggers. Only her long sleeved undershirt was visible beneath the gown now. Evren let her hair down and fluffed it out.

She returned to Asper and draped herself against the wall of a building. A few males openly stared at her as they walked past. "Human slut," one of them laughed. "Just what I'm in the mood for." He reached for her arm.

Evren twisted out of reach. "I'm already promised to someone, but I can spare some time for you tomorrow, if you pay of course."

"Promised to who?"

"A male called Selmor? I used to be a favorite of his son, but I haven't seen him in some time. My Madame told me to serve Selmor instead." She curled a lock of hair around her finger. "Assuming he wants me."

"He'll want you all right," the male laughed.

"And if he doesn't, we'll take you," someone else called.

"Do you know if he's home?" Evren asked. "I know that is his house, but I'm afraid to disturb him or come when he's not there."

"He's not there now, but he'll be back soon enough. Now, why don't you spend a little time with me while you wait?" The first male reached for her again.

Evren flicked his chin coyly. "You know I can't do that, Sir. I am a woman of business after all. You'll have to pay and wait your turn, just like everyone else." The male frowned. "I promise I'll make it worth your while." She dragged her gaze down, then up again. "If you make it worth mine."

He chuckled, shaking a finger at her. "I'll find you later." He slung an arm over his friend's shoulder and they stumbled off, laughing.

Evren scoffed with disgust. "Males like them are the same, whether they're Human or Fae."

She hovered around the house until midday, leaving only once to find water for Asper. At last, a male fitting Selmor's description strode up to the house. She approached him quietly.

"Excuse me, are you Selmor?"

He paused and glanced over his shoulder. "Who's asking?"

"I used to serve your son, but I haven't been summoned by him in some time."

Selmor eyed her, his face expressionless. "That is because the High Lord arrested him."

"I was told that I should offer my services to you now," Evren said quickly as he turned to leave.

Selmor waved a hand and the door creaked open. "Come in."

She followed him into the house, drawing in measured breaths. The door closed behind them. The bracelet didn't sense the presence of any wards. Selmor pointed to a sofa. Evren sat down obediently.

"You served my son?" He grabbed two glasses from the kitchen and filled them with wine. He handed one glass to Evren. She took it but didn't drink. "Tell me, what type of tricks did he prefer?"

"Oh, I'm not supposed to share. Clientele privacy, you know. I could get into trouble just for telling you that I served your son."

"Who is your Madame?" Selmor asked. "She clearly knows how to choose fine stock."

Evren forced herself not to move as Selmor touched a finger to her collarbone. She slipped a hand into her pocket, closing her fist around Mortem's hilt. Selmor leaned in closer.

"The High Lord sends his regards," Evren whispered.

Selmor's eyes widened, but it was too late. She sliced Mortem through his throat and rolled off the sofa before blood could splatter against her. Evren stood and wiped her blade clean on the sofa. She took the second glass of wine and dumped it down the kitchen sink, then rinsed the glass and returned it to the place Selmor had retrieved it from.

When she came back to the main room, Selmor was dead. Evren sheathed Mortem and left the house, making a show of adjusting the bodice of her gown in case anyone was watching. She exhaled slowly. One death. The first mark of revenge for her parent's murders.