Her Eyes Don't Lie

As you hold the doors open for your Queen she takes a step outside and almost immediately sucks in a giant sum of the warm night air "Ahhh...." she let's out a pleasure filled sigh and then turns her head back to you with a giant smile "Good call, Darien. This will be nice."

A few Sunrider's offer their protection as well but you just tell them it'll be no need. You're dressed for success and know you can handle any situation that could potentially come up. They weren't even hesitant to leave their Queen because they knew you would be able to protect her if anything happened.

"So, Darien" the two of you walk stride by strike "What's on your mind?"

"Just been curious recently" you begin "I was out for such a long time and since I woke back up all I've been doing is sitting here in the Syndicate, training and getting back into the groove of things." you're being very expressive with your hands "And I just think, we sent out Ashe and Rynlee with some forces to go help out some of the smaller Rathkin cities but here I am, the leader and I'm just sitting here in Sicilian."

"Is that so much of a problem?" the two of you turn a corner and continue your stroll in the dark "You were out for such a long time, is it really that bad to not send you out immediately once you wake up?"

"Well no, it's just..." you turn your head looking over the Queen "I just want to be useful and helpful and do something for the Syndicate, not just sit here in the city and train. I'm already the best here, I may as well make use of it someplace else, yeah?"

Karisi let's out a laugh "Cocky are we?" she connects with yours eyes as you just nod back at her.

In the corner of your vision, just past Karisi you see Felix and he just gives you a nod which you reciprocate as you know the favor is done.

"Well, I mean look at Rixx" you actually hate saying his name but you knew Karisi would understand "He's almost never at Rathkin, at least from everything I've heard. He's always out with his army, attacking into places, holding the line, defending with his people. I never hear of him just cowering back in Rathkin doing nothing."

"True..." she nods at you "And we will send you out again, just not so soon when you just woke up." the two of you are at the top of the stairs looking down into the mountain.

"Shall we?" you question as you point down into the mountain.

"We shall!" she smiles and starts to walk down the steps into the mountain "Darien, I'm sure we'll get you out there soon enough. I mean, honestly how are you even feeling?"

"Great, I feel just like new." you're honest with her "When I first woke up I was a little confused and angry and unsure what to do. I was also quite shocked by how long I was out for. When Lexie first told me I thought she was bullshitting with me."

"I bet..." she agrees "That would throw anybody off. But hey, don't worry! Just give it a few more days, keep training, keep your body strong. I'm sure before you know it we will be sending you south once again. Hell, at that point you may be gone so often you'll just wish you could spend more time here in the Syndicate!"

"Yeah." you grin "I'd enjoy that for the time being but once Lexie gets a little closer to...well, you know, I'll want to be around here more often. So at least for the time being I"d love to get out there and show the world my true strength."

It was at that point the two of you go quiet for a little bit as you just continue walking down the steps deep into the mountain. You keep wanting to bring up topics of conversation for Karisi but the next few minutes, both of you fell silent. When your foot finally reaches the bottom of the mountain you hear Karisi speak up "And also, we need to be cautious with you, Darien. Ya know, with that bounty on your head and all."

You connect your eyes with her but don't say anything.

"Until we figure out what happens with that we should keep extra eyes on you. It'd probably be for the best. Hell, even walking around here at night in the Syndicate is a little risky if you think about it."

"True." the two of you begin walking through the mountain making your way towards the Training Grounds "But honestly, I should be all good. I don't think I need to worry about assassins anymore."

"Oh?" Karisi lets out a laugh and slugs your arm "Cocky and Stupid!" she gives you a friendly grin "But seriously, until we figure out that whole bounty thing and get it removed you should definitely hang low here in the Syndicate for the time being."

You stop when there is a hole in the wall to your left "Hey." you say to Karisi causing her to stop and look at you "Let's go in here." you nod your head in the direction of the hole. Karisi raises an eyebrow as if questioning you at first as she assumed you were going to the Training Grounds but eventually as you step into the hole in the wall she follows behind.

"Why, why are we going to The Pit?" Karisi asks.

"I dunno, just checking it out?" you reply "We'll get to the Training Grounds soon enough and then we can get back to the castle. I'll be honest though, my Queen, I'm not really worried about any assassination attempts anymore..."

"Why do you say that?" she asks curiously as she follows you through the tighter section of cave.

You both step through the entrance and you enter into that huge, carved out cavern. Around the edges of the pit, many of the steel torches were unlit causing the overall room itself to be rather dim, giving this big open cavern just enough light to barely see. Your two good Syndicate friends did a job well done as there is not a single other person here in the Pit besides you, Karisi and one other. You watch as she steps into the cavern "Because my Queen...I've captured my assassin." you look at her with a smirk.

"Huh?" her eyes sparkle with confusion as they start to look up over The Pit and it's at that point they go wide and start to fill with anger as she sees the man you absolutely hate hanging in the middle of the pit. "What the hell, Darien?!" Karisi yells out as she steps forward to the guard railing, her head on a swivel between yourself and the man hanging from the middle.

Hawk is hanging over The Pit, his wrists strapped down in shackles, those shackles welded to a steel bar, that steel bar has a chain wrapped around it which anchors to the ceiling. The chain goes from the ceiling over to a wall at the side where a lever is held which would allow you to move the chain to rescue the man if needed. Hawk is hanging by his wrists, dangling over The Pit, dangling over that unknown distance below him.

"Darien, what the fuck is your problem?!" she turns toward you, the anger burning in her eyes "Just because you have an issue with Hawk doesn't mean he was the person who attempted to kill you!" her teeth are snarling at you "He's been helping me, he's been useful, he's with the Syndicate! Get him the hell down from there, NOW!" she orders.

You step up to the railings around the pit and place both your hands on them as you look up at Hawk who is staying silent, a fresh wound is open up on his forehead and a small stream of blood is dripping down his face. You can see he's looking at you but not saying any words.

"Darien!!" Karisi yells "For fuck sake, get him down from there!" she snarls as she moves over to the lever which holds the chain.

"I'd be careful, Karisi." you don't look at her but still stare up at Hawk "Don't want to accidentally drop him."

"Ahh, fuck Darien!!" Karisi exclaims with frustration as she doesn't know how the lever works. Eventually she turns back to you and walks over to The Pit, standing a few feet from your side and gripping down hard on the railing before her. "Okay, fine!" her voice getting rasp "I don't what the hell you think you're doing but you are clearly mistaken here, Darien! Hawk has been so useful to Sicilian and has been so useful to me! I told you he didn't do it, I told you to lay the fuck off of him, I fucking told you!" her body is fuming with anger "You've been out cold for such a long time, so you clearly don't know anything Darien, you think you do, but no, you are wrong!"

She finally turns her head and looks at you and sees you just looking up at Hawk, not saying any words. One of your hands is down by your waist out of vision as you're fiddling with something inside. "Darien listen to me, why would I save a man if I knew he shot you? Huh?!" her assault continues "What the hell is wrong with you. Now get him down from there!" she orders once more and still, you stay silent and let her continue to vent "Nothing? No words? Fucking Hell, Darien. Get him down from there before you make some stupid mistake!" she yells "I am your fucking Queen!!!"

You eventually tilt your head down as your right hand pulls up. In your fingers is that grey iron coin with the mark of Loner's Reach on it. You twirl it briefly in your fingers before placing it in your hand and flicking it up with your thumb.

The coin flies over towards Karisi who immediately grabs it out of the air "The hell is this?!" her body still fuming with rage.

Your eyes now were watching her and taking notice of her expressions. You wanted to see her reaction when she finally figured out what you just flicked over into her grasp. You saw her hands open up as she moved the coin in her fingers. She brought it a little closer to her face and when it finally sunk in, she changed. She studied that coin for a few seconds but for the first time since you entered The Pit, she stayed quiet. You saw her throat contract as she swallowed hard and then her head started to turn to face you.

It was at that point you knew what Shade told you was true. As you look into her blue eyes which only moments ago were bursting with anger and rage, they were now slowly filling with remorse and fear. All the words that exited her mouth just moments ago didn't mean anything because seeing the terror filling Karisi, her eyes don't lie.