Page 9 of Deceived By a Warrior

Chapter Five

Eva Maas

Shock washed over Eva’s face, though only for a brief moment. She was quick to remember that it wasn’t a rare occurrence when someone from her old community wanted her dead.

Theydidall hate her, didn’t they?

Sorry I was a useless piece of shit that never gave any of you screwed up women the fortunes you wanted.

“Listen,” desperate, Eva decided to try persuading Hella to let her live considering she saw no other option. Hella wielded the powers of three elements - fire, water, and air. It didn’t take a genius to know someone who could scarcely predict the future was no match against someone who had those powers.Another reason why I’m a useless sorceress.“I’m not going to allow anyone to use my powers against any of you. There’s nothing to worry about. How’s that sound?”

Hella scoffed as she took slow steps around the table, her ruby nails dragging along the tabletop. “Darling, if you truly believe that, you have so much to learn. I’m only sorry you won’t live long enough to learn so. Be grateful you’ve never been under a questioning knife. Now you’ll never have to be.”

Eva knew exactly what Hella was alluding to.

Torture.

Eva never experienced it, but that didn’t prevent her from pretending she did. “If you think I’ve never been under a knife, you don’t know very much about me.” Eva lied every day of her life. She lied about who she was, where she came from, and her talents.Lie and survive.That was her motto in life. On nights like this, she lived by that motto.

Hella let out a mocking laugh. “I’m quite certain you haven’t. If you have, you wouldn’t be alive.”

“I appreciate the confidence you have in me,” Eva wryly responded.

“Dear,noneof us have confidence in you. But you knew that, didn’t you? Thatiswhy you ran from us, isn’t it?

“I ran from you because I didn’t want to wake up next to satanic, selfish women every morning. Can you blame me for that?” Eva knew ridiculing the woman wouldn’t help her situation, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. Someone threatening to kill her seriously pissed her off.

Lies may have taken her out of harm’s way in the past, but her quick words and temper always placed her right into it.

“I never liked you. I’m surprised your mother ever saw anything in you. I’m glad she grew into her senses.” That comment about her mother hurt. Unlike Eva’s father, her mother was still alive, and she never took the time to look for Eva after she escaped that vile community.

Why would her mother? She did nothing but look down on Eva, especially considering Eva only had one power. Never mind the fact that Eva chose to never wield that power. It was exhausting to do so, making her ill for days.

“I believe you mean you’re glad shelosther senses. To follow you.” Even if Hella wasn’t technically part of that community’s leadership council, she was extremely influential among the sorceress community.

She was also evil. Eva was far from a good person, but she could never be influenced by someone like Hella.

Now it seemed she would die because of that.

“The only one without any sense is you. Living on your own? It was a mistake of nature that you survived this long. Of course, this extensive life of yours will be cut short today.”

Eva took a few steps back. “No one’s killing me today.” She didn’t believe her own words as she said them.

Hella laughed, pressing a flimsy hand to her chest. “What are you going to do? Predict my fortune to death?” She mocked Eva, obviously seeing no threat in her.

She was right to think that way. Without powers worth anything Eva was nothing but a human who livedincrediblylong.

Until today.

No, I’m not dying today.Eva tried to convince herself, but still, she didn’t believe herself. Hella was incredibly powerful. She was one element short of becoming the nextAvatarif an Avatar actually existed in their world.

“How’d you find me?” Eva asked, taking another step back.

“The same sorceress who revealed your existence to others. She talkssofreely. She’s quite a nuisance to us, really.”

Eva didn’t care which sorceress Hella was speaking of. She hated them all the same. Regardless, she had one pressing question. “Is she… dead?” If Hella killed that sorceress, that meant Hella acquired additional powers.

“You think I would ever kill another sorceress? Our sisterhood is sacred. We don’t kill our own.” She took an extended step forward, her nail continuing to grind against the table’s fabric.

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