Nev held her breath as the enforcer scanned the room quickly. Settling his intense gaze upon the man who had insisted on helping her. She waited for the inevitable moment when he would charge across the room and drag her out into the muddy street, but the moment never came.
“How can I assist the emperor?” the man asked politely. The enforcer didn’t respond. Instead, he moved slightly to the side of the doorway. A new figure glided effortlessly into the room and stood in stark contrast to the enforcer.
Nev had been pursued by prowlers a few times, including a few weeks ago and on the last night of her childhood. She had, thankfully, never seen one this close. Their armor was lightweight, black leather with metal embellishments. It provided minimal protection, but prowlers were rarely seen by their victims until it was far too late.
It was said they lived in the shadows, only appearing when they were confident their prey was near. Most people quickly submitted to avoid being forced to confront them. Those who did resist never did so for long. Nev had been lucky when her path crossed previously with the prowler. She hoped her luck would still hold.
Known as the Shadow’s Hand, prowlers were the general’s elite order and were reported to be very few in numbers. Due to their preference for existing in dark obscurity, however, little real and verified facts were known about them. Even so, there was one well-known certainty that existed. Whether they were harshly shepherding women to be tested and given their “mark” or simply hunting the empire’s prey, they were cruel and skilled beyond all measures.
This prowler wore a hood that cloaked his face in darkness. It made it difficult to follow his line of sight as he stalked through the apartment. After many drawn-out minutes, he approached the man. The prowler drew close and stared intensely at him. He was mindful to keep his face obscured while he studied the man closely.
Stunned, Nev watched the interaction unfold before her. She felt her heart racing, and droplets of sweat doused her skin. With her hands trembling, Nev struggled to remain still and quiet—despite being instructed to do so. Focusing her mind, she forced her body to calm slightly. Her thoughts, however, were still panicked.
“I have been tracking a dangerous threat to the empire for the past two weeks. I almost had her on the outskirts of this repulsive little village, when she managed to evade me. I did, however, wound her in our encounter. Bows are such impersonal weapons, but they have their place. Since then, I have spent these past weeks waiting for the injury to fester enough that she would be forced into the village to seek treatment. The rain and time have pushed my quarry to seek more conventional remedies. Thus, my arrival and conversation with you,” the prowler said with an eerie calmness about him.
“I see,” said the man flatly.
“My compatriot was too eager to dispatch justice to the occupants of the apartment next door. I’m hoping you and I can come to a more refined conclusion,” the prowler said, smiling. “I know she is nearby, and I will find her. The only question is, will you help or not. So, where is she?” he inquired calmly.
The man could feel the prowler pushing on his thoughts. He had heard troubling rumors that they possessed abilities far beyond that of the brutish enforcers. He found no pleasure in discovering some of the stories about them were indeed true. He was careful not to offer too much resistance to the intruding prodding of the prowler. Instead, he let him smoothly push into some thoughts, while maintaining a vigilant wall around those things he would not allow to be put at risk—namely his sister and the mystery woman he was determined to see safely through this.
The man didn’t see the enforcer’s fist fly, but he felt the impact as the heavily armored hand landed on his jaw. He stumbled a bit and let out a groan as the pain from his jaw moved through his entire head. He struggled to maintain his focus as he regained his footing.
The prowler coolly watched the exchange and waited for the man to regain his composure. The prowler shook his head, and dispassionately asked, “Where is she?”
The man felt the intensity of the prowler’s presence in his head. He grinned and looked at his accuser, wryly asking, “Look around, does this look like the kind of place women are just lining up to get into?”
The prowler smiled back, “Perhaps not, but this woman is desperate and a blight on the land like no other. Her standards are perhaps low enough—even for the likes of you.”
He and the prowler both laughed for a moment before the enforcer punched him in the stomach. The man grunted from the impact and forced out a small laugh. “Your friend isn’t much for chatting, is he?” he asked, his voice slightly strained.
The prowler moved behind the man and sneered, “No, and I am afraid our time for conversing has also come to an end. It is too bad that I have more pressing concerns. There is something odd about you. Given more time, it would be intriguing to explore,” he said menacingly. The prowler produced a small dagger from his belt.
The man recognized the weapon immediately. The silver blade was etched with strange markings, with several red gems encrusting the handle. He felt a surge of anguish and guilt rush into him as his mind flashed with a memory of that dagger being held to his sister as she was led away. He’d hidden the day she was taken. Despite not seeing the prowler who took her clearly, he would never forget spying the dagger pointed at her. With a quick breath, he forced the memories of his sister back for now.
Suddenly, an explosion from outside shook the very ground they stood upon. The prowler’s eyes
