22 The Young Miss of the Keyne Tribe (1/2)

The leader ignored the taunting tone of the woman and promptly bowed in abeisance to her.

”This lady, pardon my companion. He didn't mean... didn't mean to be disrepectful. If her ladyship has uses for the girl, we'll hand her to you. In return, please let us all go.”

The woman still had that lingering trace of smile in her lips which made the emptiness in her eyes look even more sinister. The leader's back was already drenched in cold sweat as seconds ticked by with the woman remaining silent.

”Boss, what do you mean give her the girl? What about-”

The leader shouted at Duff who still insists on being pig-headed.

”Shut up! If you want to die, don't drag us in with you.”

A soft yet ominous chuckle floated out in their ears.

”Hmm. Alright. Give me the girl then.”

The leader sighed in relief as he heard the woman agree to his condition. He immediately went to get the girl and dragged her nearer to the woman. He was overcame with fear that he failed to see the mocking glint which fleetingly passed the woman's eyes.

The woman went down from the back of her lion, and stood beside it with one hand on her waist while she blew on the nails of the other.

The other men could not do anything but watch their leader give the girl they worked so hard to capture to the unknown woman. They could not comprehend the reason why their captain was afraid of her. But they couldn't do anything but trust his judgement and endure the bitter taste it left in their mouths.

Similar to the other men, Chalice could not make out the reasoning of the eye-patch guy. She just shrugged it off and contributed it to him being scared of Aslan.

Eye-patch guy threw the girl roughly in her direction. Chalice promptly caught her before she even touched the ground. She moved the still dazed girl behind her. Taking the last strip of cloth she had left, she blindfolded the girl. Chalice will not allow her to see the gruesome deed she was about to commit.

”I have given you the girl, my lady. We'll depart from here now.”

Urgency was evident in the leader's voice and it did not escape Chalice's ears as well. She smirked inwardly.

”Wait.”

Her voice reverberated in the clearing.

”Did I say you could leave?”

Eye-patch guy's exposed eye almost bulged out at her words. The others frowned.

”B-but you clearly said...”

Chalice smiled innocently.

”What did I say? I did ask you to give me the girl. But I didn't say I would let you go. Besides, who gave the right to negotiate with me?”

Chalice tilted her head to the while eyeing the men. A layer of frost laced her every word.

”You...you.”

Duff the buff and pigheaded teammate of Eye-patch guy lost it. Without a word he ran towards Chalice, his sword aiming for her throat.

Chalice stood there cool and uncaring. A golden shadow wheezed at her side and met the oncoming attack.

The next thing she and the other men saw was the decapitated body of Duff the buff, three long grisly lines spurted blood non stop. His head rolled to the side, almost sliced into three bearing the same lines as that in his body. Silence pervaded the clearing as the coppery stench of blood wafted in the air.