Part One
Chapter 1
It Starts with Death
Where has all the time gone?Alissa asked herself as the first rays of sunshine began to disappear behind the northern side of the stone walls.
She shook her head slightly, and a few twigs that had been tangled in her hair fell to the ground. When she glanced down, she noticed that the ants, which had been frantic when she first disrupted their trail, had begun to move around her instead. The bush leaves where she lay started to sting, but she still pulled the bowstring between her fingers with the same diligence she had done her entire life.
How long had she been there? How was it that time seemed to pass so subtly when she found herself in such an uncomfortable position?
The woosh of the arrow slicing through the air was followed by a sudden breeze, almost as ephemeral as life itself.
Alissa did not miss.
She never did.
A high-pitched squeak came next, the low thump of a small body falling over dead leaves right after. Why did those sounds still make her recoil?
Alissa whispered a prayer, retrieving the small animal to carry it deeper into the forest.
She wished not to hear the sounds of death any longer; she would listen only to the echoes of silence and the hushing of the oak tree leaves. Closing her eyes, her focus was solely on the chilly air and the chirping of birds.
Only for a little while.
That was as much time as she could afford herself, only gifted with the briefest of moments to calm her mind from the worries of the real world, from the impact that killing every single day had on her.
She didn’t know why there was a single oak tree in the middle of a pine tree forest, but it was the place she usually sought calm when life was too chaotic to bear—more often than she cared to admit. There was something about this place that had the power to ease her spirit.
She took a deep breath, gathering the courage to move again and start the part of her job that churned her stomach—stripping the skin from the animal. When Alissa finished, she headed downtown Bryniard, and regret instantly hit her.
Wooden stands lined the narrow cobblestone streets, crowding the already limited space. The vendors at each stand shouted over one another, hoping to sell their goods. It was all a reminder that the few moments of peace she had allowed herself were now over. Their voices rose higher and higher, each trying to outdo the rest as if they had any chances of attracting new customers in Bryniard.
Alissa cringed at the chaos around her. She had almost forgotten about the dead animal dangling from her left hand. The scene was far from unusual for the vendors; none spared her a second glance, except for a child who ran toward her and latched onto her legs like a stubborn leech—her daughter.
Alissa stopped by one of the stands and waved the animal corpse under Mr. Namir’s nose, ignoring the smell of blood that exhaled from it. “Here,” she said, offering it to the man.
He stared at her like she spoke a different language. His forehead was creased, and he scrunched his nose at the scene. “What is this, Miss. Kriegen?” he asked, waving his fingers at the body hanging from Alissa’s hands.
“Mommy?” the child interrupted, only to be successfully ignored.
“You said you would double my regular fee if I killed the rabbit that was ruining your little crops,” Alissa demanded.
“And how will I know you’ve gotten the right animal if you skinned the poor thing!” Mr. Namir raised his eyebrows in defiance.
“Mommy!” Another interrupting murmur followed Alissa’s heavy breath.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did you intend to eat it with the fur?” she answered in her naturally sarcastic tone.
The consistent pull on her leg grew stronger as the girl begged relentlessly for attention. Alissa sighed, her eyes darting down in a reprimanding glance at the child who had been calling for her.
“What?” she demanded impatiently. “I can’t talk right now, Dhalia. Can’t you see I’m doing business here?”
All the joy in the child’s eyes disappeared when Alissa snapped. Unfortunately, Dhalia’s disappointment escaped her mother’s eyes as she went back to discussing the fee for killing yet another creature for the unpleasant man across from her.
“You owe me two silver coins.” Alissa stretched her hand forward to collect the payment she was promised.
“I ain’t paying you shit, kiddo. You try and sell this on another stand, they might pay you something for it.”