Phoenix was sitting on a rooftop, hidden in the shadows of the night, when her target exited the shop across the street. He was small for a man, wiry with no muscle on his bones. He had no caution for his safety, all relaxed and whistling a tune. Phoenix drew a knife out of her belt, aimed, and threw.

There was a gurgling sound, before the man fell forwards onto the street, dead.

She stayed a moment, watching to make sure he stayed dead, then took off into the night. One down.

The rest of Ironshade to go.

Onyx was on his way to meet Elliot, a boy who hated him, but needed his help. Onyx had mutual feeling for the kid, but kept him alive, knowing his death would add to the growing list of reasons for Phoenix to hate him later for. Number one was for lying to her. Then there was leading her to a trap for something she didn't do, then standing by while someone shot at her, then pretending to be her friend. Though for him, it wasn't pretense. Not all of it. He liked her. He wanted to have their meatless fights again, to see her look to him with a smile or a sneer, to hear her voice, and to feel her body.

He shook his head and turned a corner, only to halt. Xinth was in the middle of the road, dead. There was a knife in the back of his neck.

Onyx ran forward and knelt, pulling the blade out, watching the blood gush. It wasn't a blade he recognized. But he could guess who's just by the victim.

Glancing around, he searched the darkness for any sign of movement, any sign of red hair. But there was nothing…at all.

Devdan jumped down from somewhere and came to his side. "Phoenix?"

Onyx nodded. "I think this just happened because he's still warm."

Devdan cursed loudly. "Neclord isn't going to be happy she's started hunting us down."

"Neclord deserves to be hunted!" Onyx hissed.

"But not everyone else! Most in Ironshade are just like you or Advandth: alone with this being your only way to survive."

Onyx shook his head. "I don't think she cares."

"It's your fault," said a female voice from ahead.

Onyx gave a low growl, like a wolf. "Advandth, we've talked about this-"

"Not good enough," she spat, stopping a few feet away from them and crossing her arms. "Phoenix didn't deserve the treatment you laid for her a month ago! She didn't deserve to be betrayed!"

Onyx stood. "Stop criticizing me or I'm going to break something!"

She arched a brow. "What? You can't do much worse than the boss."

He cursed, knowing she was right, but hating it. "I tried to apologize, but she wouldn't listen to me."

"Why would she? You took her to Neclord and caged her in electricity!"

"He said she used magic!"

Advandth rolled her eyes. "Phoenix has no more magic than us, Onyx! Stop making excuses!"

Devdan stepped back, not liking his friends fighting like this.

Onyx bared his teeth. "I have been searching for her since, Advandth. I can't find her. I can't explain anything when she hides away from everyone!"

Advandth glared. "You're lucky she hasn't come after you yet. You're lucky she didn't kill you the moment she was able."

"I know."

Ecthrois decided to show up and add a comment. "She knows I won't let her. She knows I'm not far from Onyx."

Advandth rolled her eyes. "Like that'll stop Phoenix from getting what she wants."

She was right, again. But Ecthrois only said, "She doesn't get to kill him until I say so."

Onyx, Devdan, and Advandth all stared at him. "Since when did you get possessive?" Onyx asked with a raised brow.

Ecthrois didn't answer but knelt and turned Xinth's head. "At least it was quick."

"She's going to get herself killed doing this!" Onyx started pacing, feeling rage overwhelm him as he thought about the woman who made his life so difficult.

"She wanted to die," Advandth whispered. "She didn't move when Xinth shot the arrow."

"She doesn't get to die when she's caused so much chaos!"

Devdan raised a brow. "How did she cause this?"

"By being alive for the past twenty years!"

Devdan snorted. "Someone has issues," he said in a sing-song voice that made Onyx's teeth grind.

"Obviously you're not planning on taking her to Neclord," Ecthrois said softly. "So, why do you want her so bad?"

Onyx paused and stared into the void, seeing her face in his mind. "I-"

Before he could finish, Rokr ran up from another atreet and was wild-eyed. "We have a problem…"

No