– K Á R A –

The dark clothed thief led us down the steps of a thick walled building. Darkness briefly claimed the hard steps as we arrived at a sturdy door with a slat. He rapped bony fingers on it thrice and  then once, then thrice again.

The slat opened and with it flowed the noise of many mortals beyond. It closed once again and a heavy lock slotted back before the door did with a grunt. I pulled my hood close and kept my blades closer. Wandering fingers ready to be dismembered.

I stayed close to my escort. Not out of any need for security... for the sake of appearances only. My assumption was that thieves did not steal from thieves. For their sake I hope it worked.

The smell of sweat and coin was thick as we dodged a packed crowd in a circle. We stayed as close to the outer wall as possible. But I still heard the familiar crack of bone against skin beyond them. Could still smell the tang of blood over sweat and cheap ale. As I was beginning to lose patience with the constant proximity of filth we arrived at another smaller door.

The meager guards dropped my escort nods and began opening it–then they caught my shadow close to him and drew embarrassing blades from sheaths. 

He dipped forward and murmured something quickly before the suspicion melted off their faces and something else claimed it. Thinly veiled amusement and understanding. So that was it then. The mortal before me did think he really would escape this with numbers at his side. I resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. I was not here to waste time killing these wastes of air.

We walked through the torch lit door and down the wooden hallway.

It didn't take long and it was not an impressive sight when we did arrive. I was sure boredom and minor disgust painted my face. In less time than it took to draw the next breath I had accounted for how I could dispatch all twelve bodies that filled the slightly larger room. Including its leader if needed. The weapons were an embarrassment in holsters and the skill level was likely even more so.

I crossed my arms ready for the predictable lecture that would follow.

"Iko!" The guild master drawled under a large brimmed leather hat. It appeared that the leader was younger and taller. The title taken from the last I had met. The arrogant mortal that had dropped in on Tayah's group in Vayleron last I was in this dismal city. 

"You have a new friend." He grinned with a glint in his eye I supposed was meant to look threatening.

My former escort dropped his head and crossed his forearms. Now he turned to me more at ease and assumed I felt less so. Morons.

"Tried to jump me on watch. Likely wants some of the Jester's merch if I'm honest." He sniffed and spat towards me. I gripped a fist and flexed my fingers. After a measured breath I spoke.

"Let's cut some time here." I grit out. "I need information–"

The guild leader boomed out a laugh and others joined.

"What makes you think you're in any position to be demanding in my house?" He cackled as he bounced a leg and drummed his hand on a weathered chair. 

The place had a second hand feel about every item in it. It was hardly about style... some twisted mismatch of furniture that was out of place like many of the garments in the room. The only thing that couldn't be stolen was the fireplace which hissed.

It was the moment my escort started snickering that I lost my patience...

I did not hide my speed nor my ability. Before the mortals could drag in a breath for the next laugh I was behind him, snapped onto his knees and held a damandium blade against his throat. His shudders rippled along with the smell of piss.

The room sobered into silence.

"You drop him right now lass or our senses of humour will–"

I slit his throat there and then and dropped him like a leaking wine sack. The leader gawked at me before screaming in wordless rage and throwing a fist forward. What happened next happened only because I had no intention of letting a single one walk away. The closest man to come at me with a blade received a burning shot of lightening through the chest. The next–that didn't have the time to process this–had his arm sliced clean off his shoulder with a hidden blade.

The third had a second to fall onto his ass and scream at the demise of his companions before I sent the next charge of purple energy reducing him to combusted ash entirely.

It was only now that they realised what stood before them. They quickly rushed back to cower around their leader. The smell of urine hit me again and I snapped a fist shut making Odin's power vanish.

"A witch–a fucking witch!" The leader spat in uncontrolled shaking. "Do something!" He cried as he shoved a man towards me. He scrambled off his feet and crawled away from my feet.

I was blocking the only exit. It was now that I smiled slowly at him and his pathetic group.

"About that information..." I said slowly as I called the power back into my hands again and watching their despair grow under the burning blue. "I need to track down two very special friends of mine."

His eyes twitched around the room looking for some sign of escape–of anything but I was not here to watch a slow mind turn. I walked quickly forward and the band of thieves all flinched back against the wall.

"Throw your leader to me." I told the group.

They did not hesitate to launch the one they had clung to not seconds ago. I smirked as my glove gripped the collar of his shirt tightly. His head seemed to shrink into his shoulders under my burning gaze.

"Tell me guild master." I drawled with a deadly smile. "Where I can find The Three Lions?" Not bothering to mention that they were now two.

His eyes dashed around his skull before he dragged in a heavy breath. "That's all you want?" He puffed. "Then no more?"

I gave him a wordless nod.

"Fuck a man sideways. Just go to the Lotus. The black haired one spends his nights there. The big one is often wallowing in the The White Fox tavern." He panted out watching my face closely for any form of threat again.

I waited. Watching the mortal squirm and sweat more under my gaze. Listening to the same pace of heart rate throughout. He was truly too scared to lie. I released him and shoved him back to the cowered group of men.

"I am a witch." I lied simply. Watching their horror grow. "I have a taste for human and I can track a man to the ends of the earth once I know his scent." I continued casually as a few continued to piss themselves literally. "If a single word is spoken of this night I will find each and every one of you and cook your own balls before your eyes. Then the rest of you." Every face in the room was paler than the white stone walls of the city.

"Goodnight gentlemen." I said cheerfully before turning my back on them and ripping the door off its hinges into the hallway.

The thought only crossed me when I was in the open night again. I had let most of them live. 

I shook the thought away with the biting air.

* * * * *

I had waited all night under the stars in the plaza for Revna. I had no urge to do anything else until our meet. The only sight I wanted to see was the face of Tayah Ashrive a realm away.

My thoughts weren't even bothering to linger on the important task I had to track the immortal, Anselle down. How could they be? When my focus just melted away thinking of the shape of Tayah's lips. The fire in her eyes. When I made her smile that genuine and hidden smile just for me.

I cherished all of our memories and adventures. Many of them on this realm. When she had frustrated me to no end. When she made my power sing out of me and want to level forests just to release something. How was I to know then that it was because of feelings much deeper than irritation. A consuming need to get closer to her...

"Stop lying to yourself, immortal. I've caught you staring at me longer than necessary!" Tayah had mocked, one night in a weary tavern near the port before we had left for Zanos.

"Here, here. She won't cast me a look other than the ball shivering kind!" John pitched in with a snort.

"Wouldn't you need balls for that?" Kaden grinned. Tayah spat out some of her ale and her forehead touched the table. I hid my smile as I had watched her contented face in amusement. It was one thing to do such things in public but another to catch myself doing such foolish things every single span.

I shook my head and feigned disgust at the men.

"The mortal is correct on his lack of manhood. Though I am not sure Kaden can claim such riches in that department either." I muttered to them all, dipping my hood low.

Tayah's grin turned to me and my heart shuddered under those green eyes. Kaden's scowl could keep burning into my face for all I cared.

"You wanna see em? Cause I'm more than happy." Kaden shouted, rising out of the chair entirely serious. A few patrons turned their heads in curiosity at our table as Kaden clutched his groin and John grinned like a cheshire cat.

I finally tore my eyes off the stunning mortal before me to the buffoon. "If I wanted to vomit, mortal, yes bare your mouse sized testicles. But I have no interest in testing my stomach tonight so sit. The fuck. Down." I growled in finality.

Both Tayah and John lost the ability to breathe steadily as Kaden slowly slumped into his small chair crossing his arms. I had taken that moment to leave the table entirely lest the mortal ignores my command and I had to witness something akin to the horrors of the Underworld.

I made it outside the tavern and into the salty smell of the port for mere slithers before light footsteps pursued me.

I did not need to turn to know it was her. I knew everything about her from her scent to her heartbeat. I really needed a new distraction from this...

"Wait a moment!" She called, still many paces behind.

The sun had begun to touch the horizon as it disappeared and coated the sea in gold. It almost made me think of Valhalla.

"Did you really come out here for a sunset or another reason?" She asked me curiously as I slowed my pace along the wide empty pier.

I shrugged a furred shoulder at her and smirked. "Does it matter, mortal?"

"I just hoped that my mortal buffoons hadn't scared you off." She joked with slight nerves catching in her voice. There is was again. That spike of fear and anticipation in her blood. A kind I recognised and she did not yet.

It was the kind of emotion that made you do foolish things. Intimate things. I decided to let it slide for now as I watched those beautiful green eyes taken on a golden gleam in the setting sun.

"No, Tayah. Nothing will shake me from my task here." I told her quietly as we stopped at the edge of the pier that night.

"You meant what you said before... that you are not wasting your time with me?" She murmured more quietly, while I noted the unbalanced rhythm of her heart.

I turned my eyes off the sea and watched her for longer than necessary as she had mentioned before. Her nerves seemed to calm as I did so for a moment before they resumed their chaos on her pulse. I gave her a small smirk again and turned my eyes back to the horizon.

"I believe I am exactly where I am meant to be. Even though it is not how I ever thought I would spend my time... I think I have a lot to learn from you, Tayah." I admitted the last part in a murmur.

Her shock matched my own as she considered this in silence. I could not take it a moment longer and rolled my eyes, feigning disinterest. "Don't get too flattered, mortal. I still may send you all to the Underworld."

She grinned at me and shoved my shoulder lightly while I glared death at her hand. She drew it back with a confident look once again.

"As I said, immortal. You stare at me too much to ever think of hurting–"

I threw her off the edge of the pier before she could even finish. I turned and walked away as she shouted out obscenaties. I walked because I didn't want her to see the look on my face that told her she was right. 

I could never hurt her.

I smiled up at the stars as if I could see her at my home in Valahalla now. On that balcony I made watching that view of the night sky and thinking back down to the mortal realm of me.