"Any last words."

Cora was completely immobilized. There was nothing she could do. It couldn't end like this!

"No?"

The harder Cora tried to break free the tighter his grip became. The pain was becoming unbearable.

Cora kicked him in the shin causing him to let go.

She picked her sword up off the ground. He attempted to punch her. Cora ducked out of the way.

He punched a hole in the wall and knocked a painting down in the process. Cora tried to use the painting as a shield but he sliced it in half.

Cora attacked again and again but, he deflected every attack. He was much too skilled with the sword. Cora could never beat him on her own.That's when her eyes drifted to a statue in the center of the room. She had an idea.

With every on of his attacks Cora took a step towards the statue. When she was close enough she pushed the statue as hard as she possibly could using all the strength left in her until she knocked it over on top of him crushing his metal leg. He tried desperately to get up but he couldn't. He tried to be strong but it was clear he was in pain. He was forced to remove his metal leg just for some relief.

Cora kicked his sword far away from his reach then she also collapsed on the floor from exhaustion. The pair sat in silence. There was something peaceful about it even though it was only a few minutes it felt much longer to them.

Then the boy spoke. "Finish your mission."

Cora just stared at him in silence unsure of how to respond.

"This was your mission wasn't it? Didn't your guild send you on a mission to kill me?"

"I don't kill people," was the only response she could think of.

He laughed. "Don't worry I've done terrible things you'll be able to sleep at night knowing the world has one less murderer."

Cora said nothing.

"End me!" he yelled with something that resembled tears in his eyes. "I don't deserve to live."

Cora's knees wobbled as she stood up. she walked over to him and stretched out her hand. "Like I said I don't kill people and no one sent me here. I just want to talk to you." 

Then there was a sound coming from the door. The guard was finally managing to break through the barricade. He quickly reattached his metal leg and she helped him stand. Cora opened the window and they climbed out together and left the sword behind.

The duo hid in the bushes outside until the security guards left. They walked back to Cora's house in complete silence. Cora escorted him into the guest house far behind her house. Her family never had guests so no one ever went in the guest house. 

Once they entered the house he dropped down on one knee and kissed her hand. "I must apologize for the trouble I've caused you, I thought you were hired to kill me so I defended myself. I hope one day you will forgive me."

"Don't worry about it," Cora responded slightly embarrassed by the whole ordeal.

"How may I address you?" He asked.

"My name is Coraline Bowman."

"That's a beautiful name."

He rose to his feet and looked around the room for the first time. The room was fairly small. There was nothing in it besides a bed and  a small grey sofa and there was a small bathroom attached to the house. It was enough for someone to live in but, he was probably expecting something much fancier.

To Cora's surprise he smiled.

There was a loud thud outside that made Cora yelp and jump backwards. A dead tree branch had fallen.

He laughed at her. "I would thought a warrior capable of taking me down wouldn't be such a coward."

Cora's blood boiled. She considered punching him in the face but decided against it. "If you knew what's been happening to me lately you'd know I have a right to be afraid!"

"Then tell me."

She didn't even know how to begin to explain. "A shadow attacked me a couple of days ago he said he was looking for you, I barely escaped and feel like it's been following me ever since."

"It was looking for me?"

"It wanted to know everything I knew about the Blood King."

He just nodded slowly. He took a seat on the bed. "Don't worry, I'm scarier than anything out there," he said with a grin that resembled the Cheshire Cat.

Cora wondered if that was true, she had no idea what she was getting herself into.

"What should I call you?" she asked.

"I don't know, everyone calls me your your majesty or your highness."

Cora put her hands into her pockets. She felt a small piece of fabric, the handkerchief. She had completely forgotten about it. There it read Raymundo Eduardo Esteban Ricardo Castillo V.

She handed it to him. "Is that your name?"

"Yes, but I always thought it was a bit too extravagant for me."

"What about Ray?"

"What?"

"Can I call you Ray?"

He mouthed out the name silently a few times. "You may call me Ray if you would like to."

Cora's phone rang. 

"Where are you?" Her mother said sounding horrified.

"I'm hanging out with a friend." That wasn't a complete lie. "Don't worry I'll be home soon."

"Listen, your grandmother was stabbed." Cora's head started spinning. This was too much for her to handle.

"What happened?" Cora eventually managed to ask.

"No one knows, we found her in her study with a knife in her chest. In the security footage there was nothing but a shadow."