Chapter 56

Letting out a yell, Sir Ravos went down in an explosion of pain and sand as he hit the floor hard. The healers nearby started forward in shock, before stopping just short of the barrier, ready to run in at a moment’s notice.

Pietro’s blade hovered just over the assassin’s throat.

“Yield!”

The assassin looked like he wanted to practically spit blood at him, face twisting in frustration.

“I yield.”

The audience stood and applauded; the few nobles who had come to view the Tournament stood out like a sore thumb, clearly having arrived after being informed of Pietro’s participation.

Their murmurs of intrigue easily reached Delphina’s ears as she concentrated in their direction.

She wasn’t paying attention before, her focus wholly devoted to the situation in the arena and the plan to deal with the assassins. But she surmised they had snuck in not long after Pietro’s display began- though they must have originally been invited to watch by the Silverwraiths earlier, like the local workforce.

“I wonder if they’re responsible for the interference between them and the Hunters? Were they hoping I’d lash out at Pietro publicly in response?”

Lowering her eyes to look at the fingers gripping onto the banister without her permission, she let out a scoff and released them nonchalantly. There was no way she had actually been worried about her ‘brothers’ health- she was obviously just invested in seeing a good fight for the first time in… A while. Pietro lowered his weapon, offering a curt nod before stepping back.

Exhaling slowly, she moved off from the platform in the direction Hayle and Pietro had left earlier. Thankfully, it didn’t take her long to find Hayle, who was sitting with the huge man Delphina could only assume by this point was his Deputy, and a healer or two who must have come with him earlier.

Nodding at the two, she waited for the man in lighter armour to finish his salute to her before turning to Hayle properly, tilting her head at him.

“Got what you wanted?”

Hayle nodded once in response before asking the healers to leave to help the others. Once they had tidied up and left, he gestured for the Deputy to stand guard.

Finally relaxing a little, he crossed his arms, and that cocky smirk of his made a reappearance.

“Perfectly. The healers will ‘confirm’ what we planted; toxin residue under the assassin’s armour and hidden blades. It must come from my healers and not yours, which is why I sent them away just now.”

“Let me guess, are you trying to make yourself look a little better? All the assassins coming from your side is going to put a dent in your reputation after all.”

Hayles’ face fell flat at her statement, dropping his gaze to the floor. He took a moment before looking her in the eye again.

“Actually, I thought this might be a good opportunity to salvage your reputation… There are going to be people who immediately pin this on you. Like I did.”

Dropping his arms down to his sides, Hayle took a step closer and haphazardly scratched the back of his head in exasperation. Before awkwardly trying to put on a reassuring smile.

“I’m definitely better at this than Pietro. I know it won’t seem reliable considering my previous attitude toward you. But, now I know what I do… I’d like to at least prove myself as a potential brother-in-law.”

Delphina’s face became rigid in disbelief as he spoke. Why was he telling her this?

“And you decided the best way to confirm that was potential public humiliation?”

Drily wiping a hand over her face, she then threw her hands up in surrender. Whatever, so long as everything went smoothly, she no longer cared what happened to him.

After chatting for a little while longer, discussing the logistics of managing any political fallout between the Burgesses and de Velasques over this situation. Pietro eventually returned to them, holding his helm under one arm, his hair damp with sweat, but his expression calm.

“It’s done. The assassin had been taken aside to a temporary holding cell at the barracks, fractured ribs take time to heal properly after all.”

Then he started grumbling about how his leg hurt, even with wearing his armour that bastard Ravos had caused significant bruising with his last flurry of strikes.

Delphina couldn’t help but smirk.

“That’s what you get for humouring Hayle.”

Rolling his eyes at her sisterly teasing, he glanced at Hayle before looking away, busy pretending that he was oblivious to the man slowly sidling up to him. Despite trying to subtly coax Pietro, Delphina didn’t think Hayle would be able to win this time.

Pietro seemed thoroughly annoyed by his attitude, eventually sulking off to the viewing platform without them. Exchanging glances, they simply followed after him to catch the start of the mid-level bout.

The Tournament continued, though the mood had changed. The spectacle had done its job; the earlier inter-departmental tension was replaced with excitement, whispers of scandal buried beneath praise for Pietro’s skill.

The assassin’s blood thirsty behaviour had not gone unnoticed by the crowd.

Delphina had just begun to relax into a newly placed chair, courtesy of one of the non-competing Hunters who had come to refill their refreshments- the mid skill level Squires and Junior Hunters free-for-all was taking much longer than the lower levels had done.

Whilst still not interesting enough for her to pay attention to, it was a good interlude before things got serious. By this point, the Soldiers should have stopped anyone from entering the stands.

Hayle’s Deputy was keeping them semi-updated with the movements of the Burgess ‘guards’, and Pietro’s Silverwraiths were keeping communication open in regards to their internal investigation into the impersonator.

So far, the detainment of ‘Ravos’ had not ruffled the assassin’s feathers; they were still behaving themselves. But if he remained away for any longer, longer than someone who had just been taken to receive healing… No doubt there would be cracks that would start to show.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar, heavy rhythm of metal footsteps that echoed from the stairs to the platform behind them.

She turned, eyebrows lifting.

“Jenkins?”

The bronze and steel automaton emerged from the shadows, his frame gleaming where his neck and shoulder had been repaired. Thankfully, it seemed to move smoothly despite the rapid repairs, much to her delight.

Briefly flicking her eyes to the large, thin package strapped to his back, she accepted his shallow bow. As Hayle and Pietro were sitting not too far from her, she deliberately didn’t mention his earlier-than-expected arrival nor his injury.

My Lady. I brought the weapons delivery from the Soldier Artificer.

He turned slightly to remove the long, cloth-wrapped weapon, revealing that it was slightly taller than Delphina herself.

Rapidly blinking in disbelief, she couldn’t help but ask tentatively if he had accidentally brought one of the Soldiers’ swords. But Jenkins only shook his head in reply and unwrapped the cloth.

By doing so, he revealed a weapon of elegant lethality.

A glaive, its shaft looked like it was hewn from polished and darkened steel, the blade etched with faint sigils that shimmered in the light.