[ P ] make sure you kiss your knuckles—

She is truly not expecting to get her way so easily. Perhaps it has to do with the fucked up power dynamic going on between the two imperial wolves—something that she just might be able to use to her advantage. The second the male lets go of her, she scrambles to her feet rapidly, her chest heaving as wild emerald eyes fly between him and the ebony bitch. Neither of them are paying her any heed now, but she moves slowly at first so as not to draw extra attention. Parathion limps pointedly slowly to the edge of the path, plucking free a section of moss and shoving it against her bleeding leg to pack the wound. She watches on, both fascinated and dumbfounded, as the captain all but blackmails her lieutenant before throwing herself off the ledge. The witch stifles her urge to laugh and takes advantage of their sloppy distraction to slip quietly into the underbrush, creeping along slowly until she has gathered enough distance to lurch into a sprint. Even if the male pursues her now, he will not be able to keep up through the exceedingly dense foliage in the same way that she can. For today, she will escape the consequence of her crimes. exeunt parathion "speech"

art by skelle // code

Captain Verlice made it clear where my rank had me and where hers had her. She made it clear to me that none of it was ever about justice, in the darkness I could see the burning of her own ambitions even if they didn’t match my own. She had her own unique brand of them, the flames flickering just beneath her shadowy surface, and while she threw her dagger edged words at me and put on her show, I couldn’t move. Stunned by her attempt to blackmail me, by her attempt to frighten me. Eyes narrowed on Ryker, watching silently, hearing the rustle of the woman behind me but paying her no mind at all.

I let her go.

She wouldn’t need to feel the wrath of the Verlice idiots over some petty crimes. I sucked in a breath. The only option was to find a random citizen, take their tongue, and throw them at the mercy of the Imperial Army with the crimes attached to her that the alabaster woman committed. But I would show Ryker she couldn’t scare me, and she couldn’t keep the rank over me for long.

I pivoted, accepting that I would not be sleeping tonight, and began to scour the woods for a random woman to take. Ryker thought she was so clever, so vicious. But she knew not who I was, and who I could become.

And this is something I wouldn’t forget.

Exit WT