---Carson's POV---

The alarm sounded as soon as the assassin's feet hit the courtyard. People were running and screaming, adding to the chaos of the bells ringing overhead and guards shouting as they rushed to the Sheik's quarters.

Voices called out to summon a healer, people trying to push Aakif back upright and waved him some cool air. The clattering of armor and boots stomping the floor was almost overwhelming as they all rushed for their Sheik.

Idiots. I knew a dead man when I looked at them and there was no ways to save Aakif. Whatever the cause of his death was, it was well planned and executed to perfection. By the time his assassin had leapt out the room, Aakif's last desperate gasps for oxygen filled the air before his body stilled.

Meanwhile I had my eyes set on a certain man that was evading my troops with an agility and grace that perplexed me. Each time I was certain one of my men got him, he twisted and turned, slipping from their fingers like water soaking in the sand.

He ducked under blades and aimed at pressure points, forcing my men to drop their weapons or duck away from his attack. Its was peculiar though that he spared my men with ease while any guard from Aakif met a swift end by the hand of their own blades.

One of the guards roared in anger, slashing at the assassin with a wicked looking dager but gasped in surprise when he hit nothing but air. The man twirled around the guard, grasping his wrist with ease and used the momentum of the guards' own hand to shove the blade in the man's stomach.

Within seconds he was dodging the strikes of another guard while my men tried their best to keep an eye on the assassin while at the same time trying to avoid the rampaging guards and fleeing guests.

I could see their frustration as I vaulted down the stairs to give chase myself. Even I had a strange sense of awe and annoyance flowing through me as we tried to hoard the assassin towards one of the walls.

He seemed to know what we were doing, trying to duck away only to be thwarted by my men. "We got you now..." I murmured with a grin as I saw my men heading around the corner, effectively trapping the lone assassin between us.

But when he finally seemed cornered with no way to run, he had another suprise for us in store. Instead of changing his stance and surrendering or trying to run past us, he ran up the wall. He pushed off the wall at the highest point he could reach , twisted midair and grasped onto the roof before quick as a flash, he was running the opposite direction.

"Get on that rooftop, cut him off!"

"Close the gates!"

I pushed past the fleeing women, ignoring their screams as I tried to keep an eye on our target. He was quick and nimble, jumping from roof to roof as if it had been his playground. Of course I had no control over the Sheiks' guards and feared for his life when I saw several archers taking position.

He didn't even pause. With lightning fast reflexes he dodged, twirled and jump, seemingly ignoring the arrows that whistled through the air. I looked down and nearly bumped into a cart full of merchandise before heading towards the gates.

They were closing fast, even I wouldn't be able to reach them in time so surely the assassin would pause and be trapped.

But the assassin didn't pause, instead sped up and leapt of the roof tops. He landed in a pile of dust and rolled easily, never losing stride as he approached the closing gates. There was just about enough room left for a dog to run through and I wanted to close my eyes as the man approached the gates undeterred.

Surely he'd be crushed!

Instead, I gasped and held my breath in awe as the assassin skidded on his knees, back scraping over the floor and black curls dangling past his hood as he slid underneath the gates. He paused on the other side in relative safety to shoot me a teasing grin and a glint in his eyes that made my heart race.

A challenge.

Are you coming or not?

My feet reacted before my mind did as I barked commands to open the gates and for my men to scale the walls. It would take us longer than him to reach the edges of the city but if we found his tracks, we'd give chase.

The air was filled with excited chatter, panicked screams and cries along with the persistent ringing of the alarm bells. The guards were shouting at one another in frustration as my men and I easily scaled the walls and sought for a trace of our target.

There! A woman still trying to regain her balance, glaring at an alley and shouting in annoyance. We ran past her and followed the sound of fleeing steps and I cursed silently as I realized where he was leading us.

Genius to try and shake us off in the ever busy souk. Even if I knew what he was doing, it was hard to focus on his back, to find him whenever he made a sharp turn or a sudden jump.

And then I lost him.

I growled in annoyance, spinning on the spot in the hope of seeing him run of somewhere. Hell, in his wardrobe, it would be a hard thing to miss.

Very hard indeed.

I scoffed at my thoughts and shook my head before catching something from the corner of my eye. Someone came out of the nearby clothes store, still tugging at their brand-new outfit before glancing around.

Our eyes locked and I smirked while approaching. I'd recognize those green eyes everywhere, they were quite captivating. Before I reached him though, a fleet of chattering woman swarmed the area and between all the shawls and giggling, I lost him.

Again.

I sighed, kicking at the floor in frustration as he was no where to be found. He was as illusive as a ghost, a mirage in the desert that tempted you with sweet relief. Almost there but just beyond your reach.

For a moment I swore I caught a glimpse of green eyes in the crowd, pink lips curling in a teasing smirk as the shawl was pulled up against a sharp cheekbone. But when I blinked, the image was gone and no matter where I looked, the assassin was nowhere to be found.

By the time I made it back to our temporarily camp, my men were already pulling down the camp. "Where is Mord'u?" I asked upon return, grabbing one of the men by the shoulder. He pointed off in the distance.

"He accompanied several of the trackers Sir. Said we needed to be on those tracks yesterday." I grinned, grateful that my second hand was thinking on his feet and had already been busy finding any tracks.

A shout resounded and I saw the massive man sitting on his horse, waving us over. Everyone sped up in their preparations for the journey, excitement flowing through our veins as we realized that the hunt was on.

Our target might be able to run, but he had nowhere to hide.

---Nadir's POV---

Carson might've given up in the middle of the Souk but I was sure he had no intention to let me escape. Tahir was huffing, going through his paces with ease as I let him travel over the most used roads in attempt to lead Carson astray.

Yawning and stretching my back, I used the opportunity to look over my shoulder. Nobody was following me but then again, several other travelers were using these roads and could very well point Carson in my direction.

For all I knew, they could very well be Carson's men, disguising themselves as traveling merchants. I couldn't risk slowing down, nor could I act suspicious and make people remember me.

So I tried my best to relax, traveling at an acceptable pace, knowing that Carson and his men might be racing towards me. But in that case, they were also tiring their horses down while Tahir would be capable of outrunning them.

Glancing at the sky, I smiled slightly as I realized finally that Aakif was dead. He wasn't capable of hurting another child, ever again. Parents would be reunited with their sons and daughters, and even thought they'd be traumatized. I just prayed that their families could help them move forwards.

I had nobody to help me get back on track. Instead I was sold to another Sheik, a man who called himself a scientist and specialized in poisons and the effects they had on the human body.

Most of his slaves died. I was one of the most fortunate ones to have survived his vile tests. Many that had been bought along with me now rested for all eternity in their graves.

Rubbing over my arms, I traced the endless array of scars in the hollow of my elbow and my wrists. I still remembered the different ways I've been tormented, the burning liquids forced down my veins, extracts poured in my throat and toxic fumes scorching my lungs.

Tahir nickered softly, picking up the pace on his own. I frowned, jarred from my memories and looked over my shoulder. Instantly my heels nudged Tahir to move faster, as I spotted several riders fast approaching in the distance.

Luckily they were too far away to catch me but I already saw one of them pull back while the other two stayed in pursuit. Ah...they weren't here to catch me, more to alert the others of where I was.

It doesn't matter. My eyes were focused on the horizon as I set a course for my next target. With any luck, I'd be able to hide out for a few days without catching anyone's attention. Carson wouldn't be able to sift through the whole desert on his own and I still had some allies hidden away.

So I let Tahir run at his own pace, hanging over his neck and murmuring comforting words to my old friend. I trusted him to find the way to the nearest town so we could seek out shelter and send out a message to one of my friends.

Which reminded me, I also had to send a message to one of the traveling merchants. It was odd to think that Aakif's death brought me fortune beyond imagination. From what I've found out, he forced himself onto the son of a merchant, a prince of his tribe.

When the man found out, he was enraged and set on revenge in the name of his son, yet nobody dared to target the Sheik. But I didn't fear Aakif and now the world was freed of the demon. The man's son was avenged and they could live in peace.

The money wasn't for me though; I'd use the bare necessities to make it to my next target and buy myself some clothes and food. The rest would find its way to the families who have suffered under Aakif's reign.

Glancing over my shoulder one last time, I smirked when the rider was persistent but chose to follow from a distance instead of trying to chase and pin me down. Good. Let them follow. I'll make sure to open their eyes to the filth they called Sheiks before I removed them from the world one by one.

Carson and his men just made my mission that more interesting.