Page 14 of Secrets and Shadows

I want to be the last thing he sees.

My hand clamps over the Rogue’s mouth, silencing any further cries he might make. He needs to hear me before I kill him.

“You’ve made a grave mistake, coming here.” My tone is barely above a whisper. “Your death will have been in vain. You will have accomplished nothing.”

The Rogue’s eyes are glassy, the life in them fading. The sounds that come out are muffled against my hand, but they’re not the usual sounds of pleading and begging I’m familiar with when I’m about to end someone’s life. It’s almost as if… he wants to tell me something.

Slowly, I release my grip on his mouth, giving him one final chance to speak before silence claims him forever. The Roguestruggles to sit up, gasping for breath as I stand over him, waiting to hear whatever nonsense he’s clinging to.

“He has come...” he sobs, his voice strained with pain. “He will kill you all. He searches for the One. He searches for the One!” His words escalate into a desperate screech.

It turns out listening to himwasa waste of time. The same old Rogue delusions—fear tactics meant to buy time. And now, he’s making far too much noise.

In one swift, decisive motion, I sever his head from his spine, cutting off his last breath. Blood pours from the wound, a dark, gushing flood that soaks the forest floor. His limbs spasm weakly, then grow still as the life drains from him in mere seconds.

When his body finally goes limp, I step back, surveying the aftermath. The scent of iron fills the air as crimson stains the ground at my feet. Calmly, I reach for my cloak and wipe my blade clean, the cold steel gleaming once more in the moonlight.

Another Rogue down.

Only now do I allow myself to eye him properly. He’s young—barely twenty years old. It means they’re getting as desperate as we are, eager to increase their numbers as quickly as possible.

With a snap of my fingers, acid bubbles up from the earth, hissing as it makes contact with his lifeless body. The flesh begins to dissolve almost immediately, the stench rising into the night air. It’s overpowering now, but it will fade soon enough.

Then, it’ll be as if he never existed.

I stand there, watching as every trace of him melts away, leaving only a scorched patch of earth behind. Once I’m satisfied that no evidence remains, I slip back into the shadows, moving silently to check the perimeter. There’s always a chance another Rogue might be lurking.

By the timeI return to the academy, the post-kill high is gone. I move through the empty halls, slipping into the shadows as I make my way toward the dorms, hoping to avoid any interruptions. I need to clean up without answering any questions.

"Where have you been?" Vaughn’s voice stops me as soon as I reach the common room. I tense, somehow not noticing him until he steps into the light.

Damn it. He always shows up at the worst times. And tonight, he’s even using one of my own tricks against me.

“Why do you want to know?” I ask, keeping my tone neutral.

“Because you keep sneaking off on your own, and I’m worried you’ll get yourself killed. Given your...history,you’re a bit more homicidal than the average person.” He shrugs casually, but the jab is there. I don’t let it show, though. He’s not wrong. I’ve seen what the Rogues are capable of firsthand.

They captured me once, tried to recruit me. But I resisted. Refused to let them break me.

I fought them until I was nothing but a shattered shell, but I never lost my loyalty. I saw their cause for what it was—driven by selfishness and a thirst for innocent blood. That’s why I take such grim satisfaction in wiping them out. They have no remorse for the lives they steal, and I have none for the ones I take back in the name of the Balance.

“No need to worry, V,” I say, despite knowing he won’t drop it so easily.

“Look,” he continues, flicking a cigarette between his fingers but not lighting it. Savina must’ve gotten to him about the habit.“Do your little solo missions, whatever they are. I’m only trying to say you could use someone to watch your back. Properly.”

“Don’t go getting all soft on me,” I reply with a smirk. “I don’t need anyone watching my back. But I appreciate the concern.”

I turn and head up the stairs, done with the conversation. I’ve used enough words for one night. Whatever else Vaughn has to say can wait until tomorrow.

“Yeah, well... the trail of blood behind you definitely says otherwise. Not concerningat all,”he calls after me, but I don’t bother with a response.

I lock my door behind me and head straight for the shower. Ah, blissful silence, at last. I strip off my blood-soaked clothes, the fabric sticking to my skin before I toss it to the floor, leaving a splash of red on the white tile. I find it oddly satisfying to marr the pristine floor with the evidence of my fresh kill.

As I turn on the shower, the ice-cold water hits me like a jolt. I stand under it, letting the chill ground me as I watch the water turn red, then pink, and finally clear. I scrub myself hard, as if trying to wash away not just the blood, but everything I’ve done tonight.

I scrub and scrub and yet, no matter how hard I do, the blood never leaves my hands. And no matter how much I tell myself I’m doing the dirty work for the Balance, I fear my hands may be stained forever.

Six

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