*
He surveyed the room doing a surface scan of all the Nobles talking and dancing while the music played. His eyes glanced over his fellow Black Born. Mace, his gift was an exceptional ability with weapons. He could use any weapon he held. Then there was Asai. His gift was intuition. It was like a sense of what was going on. If something was going to happen he would signal but still Luke kept his mind open. He heard talk about money and politics and sex.
“Luke be ready!” He looked at Asai who nodded over to the door. Luke took his sword out smoothly. He pushed his mind out to the outer rooms where other Black Born members were on patrol. Security was upstaged when he had uncovered a plot to assassinate the king. Feeling no one outside the rooms he concentrated harder. He knew the rebels had a person with the gift of blocking. He held up two fingers and placed them to his temple signaling that something was wrong. “Take the king to safety.“ Luke ordered the guard beside him.
The three of them were on their way to the door to the ballroom when the doors burst open throwing Luke back into the crowd of Nobles. The smoke choked the guests, he could hear their cries of fear but couldn’t see through the smoke. His eyes burned. He stretched out his senses but still there was nothing. His sword in hand he went cautiously towards the sounds of fighting. Seeing shadowy figures through the smoke he kept his mind open. He reacted blocking the dagger thrown at him and turned, his eyes widened.
“Lex!”
The brown haired boy now a young man walked towards him with three more daggers in his hand. Although Luke was surprised to see him, Lex didn’t seem to be at all. “Luke. If you give up I’ll promise you will be well treated. For my sister’s sake.” Luke felt for his mind but ran into a wall. Lex smirked. “You can’t read me right now, give up.”
Luke lifted his sword and ran at Lex slashing hard but the wiry boy was dexterous and fast. He jumped and dodged so quick it was hard to keep up. With a twitch of movement, daggers were coming at Luke in a flurry of metal. He tried to avoid and parry them all but it was like steel rain. He rolled and came up avoiding the main bulk of blades and slashed catching Lex in the side making him stumble back. “I won’t let you do this. Run away. I don’t want to kill you.” The smoke and chaos filled room was loud with sounds and smells of fighting and screams of pain.
Lex sneered and pulled out four more blades. “I will do what I must for what I believe.”
Pulling himself up straight Luke calmed himself. “So you believe in murder and treason? Jacks would be disappointed.”
The boy began to laugh cynically. “You just don’t get it do you?” He threw the blades and Luke used his sword to deflect them walking forward. Lex stepped back. “You’re the one who she would be disappointed in.” Then suddenly Mace came out of the fog and grabbed Lex and was about to slash his throat when Luke shouted.
“No!”
The blade stopped right at the skin just puncturing and allowing some blood to flow down Lex’s throat. Mace turned just his eyes to Luke. “Why? He’s an assassin!”
Luke felt the block go and reached out for the king. He was alive as was Asai but the Black Born on the outside of the room were all dead. “They have failed but we could use him for intelligence. Take him to the dungeon and I’ll interrogate him later. The king wants to see me.” Grimacing Mace nodded but as he pulled at Lex his eyes bore into him.
