Chapter b205 /b

Zayn pov

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I chuckled at the question, brow raised in amusement. As I slowly turned my gaze to the man who’d spoken, he stiffened visibly and lowered his head in respect before speaking.

“Forgive me for saying this, especially now when we’re about tounch an attack on the king’s pack, but I’ve noticed a change in many of the rogues. They whisper among themselves about the reward, plotting what they’d do with that kind of money. Yesterday I caught one muttering that if he had the gold he wouldn’t be a rogue or ve here for thezy leader. As soon as I heard him, I cut off his head in front of everyone and told them the oue of betrayal was death, if they revealed anything, they wouldn’t leave alive.”

He paused slightly, then continued.

“However, this was enough to control some of them for a while but with the way things are going, someone will eventually snitch about your location, leader.”

My smile widened and I chuckled, tilting my head to the side.

“Ah. Is that what’s happening?” I asked nonchntly, though I already knew.

Before the first man could answer, another spoke up.

“Yes, leader. It is happening. The camp is in disarray. Everyone is talking about ratting you out, and I believe it’s only a matter of time before someone does. What should we do? By then the king will find us before the attack.”

“Yes, I agree. We must act or we’ll be caught. Give us orders and we will follow. Should we root out the ungrateful ones and kill them to set an example? If we do not act now, our n will fail.”

Almost immediately the othermanders began calling out in unison, “Please give us orders, leader. Please give us orders.”

I sat back, watching them with amusement, one brow lifted as my grin widened. Ah, Darius. He was indeed smart. I hadn’t expected this move from him, he’d sown distrust among my rogues so that, even if no one wanted to betray us, cracks would form and everyone would start suspecting each other.

Maybe I shouldn’t have written him the note after all, but it would’ve been disrespectful not to say goodbye, right? I shouldn’t forget how well they’d amodated me.

They continued to speak, one after the other; before I cut them off.

“Why is everyone iso /iscared?” I asked in a slow drawl, my gaze flicking around the room to watch their stunned faces. “I trust my rogues. I know they won’t betray me.”

The room fell deadly silent. No one could meet my eyes. I heard a faint scoff from Kieran, but I kept speaking, a smile never leaving my face.

“My men are loyal. They put their leader first, they’d give their lives for the one they serve.” I traced slow circles with my foot as bI /bspoke.

“So why are you so sure they’d run to the king? Who are they to trade me for gold?”

Their gazes narrowed. The first man to speak from the start hesitated, then forced the words bout/b.

“L–leader… I understand. I’m honoured you think that of us. But some people can’t be trusted, they wouldn’t hesitate to stab you in the back.”

His eyes flicked to Kieran, who frowned, the implication hanging in the air. Another voice quickly chimed in. urgent and low: “Yes, leader. Please be careful.”

But before the others could repeat it, I snorted and a loudugh burst from me. I threw my head back, shook it in amusement, my eyes wet with unshed tears.

“Oh my goddess, this is amusing, really amusing. I’m just ying you lot. You should rx and not be so easily scared.”

Everyone looked confused. I pulled my legs from the desk and leaned on it, cing my hands on the surface as I narrowed my eyes.

“You don’t have to be scared about this affecting our ns. It won’t, because no one will be able to reveal our location.”

“B–but-” one of themanders protested, but I put a finger to my lips and shut him up, he mped his mouth closed at once. I continued, my smile slowly fading as I rested my head on my hand and yawned with bored expression.

“As I was saying, no one will be able to reveal our location. Why? You may want to ask…” I said, pointing at my wrist. “Because of the Crescent Bond tattoo that every one of you has.”

They all looked down at the mark on their wrists, the brand I had given everyone who became part of my rogue family. To them it was just a tattoo that only other rogues could see, a way to recognize one another. What they hadn’t realized was that it was more than a mark.

It wasn’t just a simple tattoo, it was a curse.

“Anyone who has the Crescent Bond is bound by a curse that disallows anyone from revealing my identity or the location of my camp.”

Their eyes widened and they all drew a sharp breath. Kieran, who had been quiet, gasped in shock.

“What?!” he yelled, not holding back as he stared at the mark on his wrist. He was a rogue after all, he’d lived here with his mother when they were chased away from Emberfang.

“W–what did you bsay /bjust now?” he stammered, while the others sat too stunned to answer.

I couldn’t help but look at them like they’d missed the point, but since I was kind, I exined again, pointing to my wristb, /bmy words slow and deliberate.

“Listen. This tattoo on your wrists is a curse. Anyone who dares utter a single word revealing my identity bor /bany information about me will die almost immediately. Everyone here carries the curse, so you don’t have bto /bworry about anyone betraying us.”

6:11 Sat, Sep 27

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“That- that is impossible” Kieran shot up from his seat and stared at his hand in terror as though he could believe a word of what I had said.

“You- you marked everyone here with a curse? How is that possible, why would you do that?

The others stayed silent, but their expressions said enough, like Kieran, they didn’t want to believe it. Finding their hesitation boring. I scoffed and cut straight to the pointb. /b

“Impossible?” I echoed, tilting my head slightly to the side.

without

“Then tell me, how else do you think I’ve managed to keep my identity hidden for so many years outsiders finding out? Why are there always mysterious deaths bin /bthe bcamp/bb? /bWhy do you think I go ithrough /ithe trouble of marking every single one of you before you’re epted? Tell meb, /bbhm/bb?/bb” /b

As my words sank in, realization finally dawned on their faces. Kieran let out a shaky breath, staring at me as though he were staring at the devil himself.