Rise of a Legend Read online

Chapter 14

  “Well, what have you got to report?” Boss said, taking his seat at the table. His followers glanced at each other.

  “We did exactly as you said, Boss,” Bryan said. “I hid behind the brambles with the crossbow where the berries grew, and attacked when Prince Orion and the girl came close.”

  “Good, good,” Boss nodded, “And what about you two?”

  “Well,” Mac exchanged a nervous glance with Natalie.

  “We waited just around the bend in the path, like you told us to,” she said, “and we came running when we heard the girl scream, just like we were supposed to. We tried to comfort the prince and his girlfriend, and I even bandaged one of his wounds while he,” she gestured towards Mac, “snuck behind them and picked up Prince Orion’s dagger.”

  “So what happened then?” Boss asked innocently.

  “He, uh, was stronger than we had expected,” Mac said sheepishly.

  “You mean to tell me,” Boss remained unnervingly calm, “that you idiots botched it up, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, Boss,” Mac hung his head.

  “You botched such an easy job,” Boss went on, standing up and raising his voice, “and even after all that trouble I went through planting the idea of sneaking out of the palace into Prince Joshua’s head and enslaving the girl’s mind to make her take Prince Orion to that exact spot?” He was yelling now. “You couldn’t even take care of them?!”

  “It’s not my fault, Boss. Those idiots showed up too soon,” Bryan said, pointing at Natalie and Mac. “I almost had him! It’s their fault!”

  “Oh, yea?” Mac said, standing up and leaning over the table at Bryan, “And who missed Prince Orion with that arrow at the festival? He was a sitting duck! If you had done your job, Bryan, we wouldn’t have had to worry about attacking him in the park!”

  “It’s not my fault, Mac!” Bryan argued back, “That was a tricky shot, and the wind was blowing, too!”

  At least the prince believed you when you said you slipped,” Natalie piped in, trying to make peace, “or you’d be history.”

  “Yes,” Boss agreed, “but a quick execution at the palace will seem pleasant compared to what I’m going to do to you if you botch up one more job! You two, too,” he said, glaring at Mac and Natalie.

  “Yes, Boss,” the three of them muttered.

  “Well,” Boss said, taking a deep breath and sitting down once more, “we can always try again, although he’s going to be on guard for a while. We had better think of a new plan of attack before we try anything again. And when we do,” he looked at each of his followers in the eyes, “there had better not be any more slip-ups, understand?” The others all nodded.