Chapter Five- My Old Ways

Everyday my heart breaks a little bit more. The more I see Kyra with Jearshon the more it hurts. I give him more tasks than usual so they spend as little time together as possible. I don't talk to Jearshon anymore. Its easier to not kill him that way. She loves him. I know she does. We don't talk much anymore either. Its too awkward. She knows I feel more than just friendship towards her. We have made it a fourth of the way to where the he lives. I'm getting anxious. I want to be on my own again. Its a race. Its of up most importance that we reach him before his messangers. Surprising him is paramount. We have been off Mount Sarton for a while now. Our journey is starting to get dangerous. He has a lot of loyal friends who are constantly trying to protect him. I kill everyday. Its so routine. I almost enjoy it. No one we come in contact with is close to my skill level in fighting. It numbs my emotions. I cry less when I kill. The other day we lost someone. I wasn't too fond of him but I took the responsibilty of burying him. Arrow through the temple. Instant death. Thats not how I want to go. I like physical pain. Each day is getting more dangerous. We are moving at a very fast pace. We sleep in houses. I threaten villagers to give up their houses for the night. They submit with little protest. I assign people to which house they sleep in. We use as few houses as possible. Kyra and Jearshon never sleep in the same house and one always sleeps in the same house as me. It annoys them but they can't do anything about it. They're scared of me. I get more and more angry everyday. Everyone is scared of me. I break things. I kill non threatening people. Its the only way to numb the pain. Tonight Kyra is sleeping in the same house as me. Jearshon is sleeping with a village family. Early in the morning we prepare to depart. Head counts are necessary multiple times a day. One is missing. I see Kyra looking around for someone. Jearshon is no where to be found. I send a group to go get him from the house he was sleeping in. He tries my patience every time he has a chance to. I could have expected him to be late. The group comes back. He's not there. I go to the house to interrogate the family of Jearshons where abouts. Kyra comes along. They act nervous in my presence. Thats natural. Most people do. They are more nervous and fidgety than usual. I get suspicious. I ask them where Jearshon is. They said he left in the middle of the night to meet the girl. Thats a lie. I slept in front of the door of the house Kyra and I were sleeping in. No one came in. No one went out. I tell them I know they killed him. I pull my sword from my sheath. I hear a few whimpers. I tell them if they don't admit to committing the murder I'll kill them. They tell me how they killed him. They poisened him so he'd sleep through anything. The minute his head hit the pillow they slit his throat. I am angry. Jearshon was a good friend and an even better fighter. I look at Kyra. She is distraught. I see the look on her face. She expects me to kill them. I look her in the eyes for a long minute. Neither of us blink. I shake my head and walk out of the house. I get on my horse and ride away leaving Kyra to cry alone.