Chapter 3

"Haven't you heard a word I said? The Guild can be in danger. Everything we built, everything we fought for, fighting for, can be snatched from us. Are you not concerned? Don't you want to contribute to your fellow members' safety?"

"Oh, stuff it. I said I won't go to the vampire kingdom. Not that I won't help"

"Willow.."

"I don't do vampires. Nor that kingdom. You know that. Hell, I bet the whole Guild knows that. I stayed away from them for a reason. I don't want anything to do with them. Then why are you pitting me against those... those monsters?"

"You should be honored you are selected for this job"

"Oh, I'm just stoked, trust me. But I'll pass"

"Don't forget that I'm your boss"

"Yet you ask to spy on the ones who sign your paycheck. It's fine as long as the Guild benefits or nothing blemishes its reputation. This must-have irked Azrian too. That's why she quit. Wait a minute... you just said, she is where you want her to be"

Wheels turned inside Willow's brain as she scrutinized the rare blush on the Guild head's cheeks.

"The werewolf king is not a rogue. That's it. You knew. You knew that he is being framed"

"We thought as such. A were-rogue no matter how smart he is can't hide his scent or his hunger for long"

"Yet I bet, you said nothing about your suspicions to Azrian. You want her to go to that kingdom at any cost. Just like you are ordering me to go to the vampire kingdom. I must give it to you, you know how to play with us without our knowledge. Genius. The masterstroke is the dirty mind game. Unfortunately, it backfired with me. I would not step foot on that kingdom even if the whole world is burning. If you really want my help, you can assign me another kingdom."

"No. The other kingdoms have been assigned to others"

Willow narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything. She carefully tucked that information to the back of her mind.

"There is no harm in assigning two people to a kingdom. I will go with the assigned one. But not the vampire kingdom"

"You need to put your grudge behind you willow. It's not healthy"

"I said stuff it. You asked me here to discuss the rogue issue. Not to indulge in my personal affairs"

"Your personal affairs are affecting your thinking process and your job. You are not thinking this properly"

"Neither I want to"

"Willow, please listen to me. Whatever happened in your past, it was a long time ago. Couldn't you-"

Willow turned and walked to the door without a glance at the woman seated in that chair as if the hell hounds are behind her.

"I think we are done here," Willow said over her shoulder.

Just as she was about to touch the handle, the Guild's head whispered, "I know who was behind your parents' attack"

Every molecule in her body stilled. Her brain fizzled, unable to process the statement.

After a few long tense seconds or is that minutes? Willow slowly turned to face the woman who just shattered her world with a few words.

Outwardly, Willow is calm, almost numb, but inside... inside her body has gone into shutdown, shielding her heart from the pain she sure knew would follow.

She thought nothing could hurt her. She is stronger now, but no. Once again fate has landed a blow that she can't run away from.

"Bullshit. If you have known you would have gloated before or used it against me. You are saying this now just to make me do this 'job'. Don't bother. I'm not that stupid," Willow glared at the woman as she said this. 

"It's the truth. I should have said something to you sooner. Nevertheless, it's not too late. I'm saying now"

Willow closed her eyes, struggling for composure.

"I don't believe you. I won't"

"Covering your ears won't make the truth any less bitter"

"Why?" A small word escaped past her lips nearly inaudible.

"Willow"

Walking back to the desk, she leaned against it, placed the flat of her palms on its top then looked at the Guild Head hard in the face, her eyes conveying the storm that is brewing inside her.

"Tell me why?" Willow asked loud and clear this time.

"Will-"

Willow swept her arm in a long arc making the things on the desk crash hard to the ground.

"Not a single word out of that mouth unless to tell me why," Willow said through her clenched jaw, anger coursing through her veins. She should have known. Should have suspected something like this from her. But just like Azrian, she is blindsided.

"Careful Willow. I'm still the Guild Head"

"You won't be if I open my mouth and tell the rest of the guild members about what conspired in this room"

The Guild's head sighed as if she is burdened with the knowledge she is carrying.

"Your threat means nothing and we both know it. Whom do you think will they believe? Anyways, we have enough to fight as it is. I don't want to have a fight within the guild too. The only place where we can find peace. This is our sanctuary. We have to be a United front now," she sighed and continued, "This is not how I wanted to tell you"

"Clearly. If it's left to you, you wouldn't have bothered. But I can see the circumstances that are forcing you. Tough luck. The next words you utter better be what I want to hear"

"I... We thought you are not ready to face the person"

Willow cocked her head, her posture rigid, expecting an assault at any moment.

"You mean the rest of the Guild?"

"Yes. You were shattered when you came to us. You were not in the state of mind to listen patiently. You would have attacked the person on your own if you learned the truth. Hence, we decided to keep quiet."

"Bitch!"

"Willow!" the guild head nearly bellowed but kept her voice low at the last moment.

"Who gave you the right to play God with my life? You had no right. You. Had. No. Right!"

"If not for me, you would have died in your blind thirst for vengeance"

"So what? Do you expect a thank you card? Well, you can wait until the hell freezes over before it happens"

"Willow, this is not how I planned to say it"

"Yes. You want to manipulate me. Want to cajole me with your fake sympathy and make me do your bidding. News flash, I'm not a puppet to dance to your will"

"You can say whatever you want. I deserve it. But the truth is you could have died if you learned about the person. You were only a child yourself. Facing a vampire needs power, strength, the Will to fight. I thought this was the only way to shield you, to strengthen you"

"You have a twisted way of showing it. I would have believed you a while back. Hell! I would have believed you last week too. I trusted you."

"And I broke the trust. I get it. If by hating me you could justify this, then, by all means, do that"

"Display your dramatics elsewhere. I'm no longer interested. Just tell me the name"

Willow braced herself as if a wrecking ball can launch on her any moment. 

"It's the vampire king"

"You lie. Why should I believe you? What proof do you have? How can I trust you after this stunt?"

"You can't. But you have to. In all these years, have I ever led you astray? You may not believe me now, but when the time comes you will agree with me"

"Never"

"Never is a too long time. Especially for an immortal. Anyways, here is the file. It has all the details regarding your parents' murder"

Willow instead of sitting and checking the contents of the file tucked it under her arm. She needs time to read this. She is not yet ready to experience that wretched day once more.

She is not calm enough to hash out the details. All those questions since that day remained in her mind. It just included the killer's identity. Why did the vampire king kill her parents? What was so special about them? What did he need from them? All the why's are circulating in her mind but she is not ready to voice them out yet. 

She has the identity. Other trivial things, she can find out later after she has cooled enough. If everything fails, she can meet the Guild head for the answers. Though, Willow doesn't want to. Not from her. She has to take everything with a grain of salt if it comes from her. But not yet. Not now. After the storm inside she died.

For now, the identity will suffice. Though, she must know.

"All this time... you had the answer. I can't believe this. It's right around the corner and I never knew. Well-played. I don't get it. Why hide it? What will you gain from it?"

"You were just a 16-year-old girl. How could I tell you? I thought as a parent at that time"

"You are not and will never be my parent. My parents are dead. DEAD. And their killer is roaming free because of you"

"Willow. What would you have done if I told you anything? Would you have kept quiet? You would have become a shell of the person you are now, overcome with revenge, turning bitter from inside out. By hiding his identity, I let you grow. Let you blossom"

"What type of growth have I done in the Guild? Patrolling and killing the rogues doesn't count as growth. Turning into an assassin is not growth. 7 years. 7 years wasted. In all these years, don't you felt guilty, a small responsibility to your pupil? Haven't your conscious prickled when you looked at me and acted martyr?"

"Be that it may be, but look at you now. You are strong. Strong enough to face the vampire king now. Sometimes, we have to be dealt with a heavy hand to know the true worth of one being"

"Save your philosophy to others. Who else knows?"

"It won't do any good"

"Tell me. I deserve to know. Do my teammates know? Does Azrian know?"

"No. Not the teams. Only the higher authorities."

Willow clenched her fist. She is done with this bunch.

"Thanks for the information," she said sarcastically and waved the file.

"In case you haven't figured it out, I quit," she said the parting shot before exiting the room, banging the door on her way out.

"Well, that went as planned," thought the Guild head to herself.