chapter fourteen

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-14-


Swatting leaves out her face, Elle huffed as they hid behind a row of potted plants just on the fringes of the bustling market. Lorel had well and truly awoken and the morning rush in the Western Region had begun: yelling echoed through the streets as pots and pans clanged noisily. Women leant over their balconies airing out damp laundry to suspend above the streets, still managing to peer down below with frosty glares at newcomers.

The day had kickstarted for everyone bar the drunkards, who lay sprawled out on the cobbles and mud like old discarded rags from their endeavours during the night. Vomit dried on their shirts like a stinking bib and pockets empty.

Jax glared daggers at the back of her head as she sighed again, leaning against a crumbling wall. "We are not hiding, Elle. Just waiting for Mikel's man to take us to the location." Perhaps she had spoken her complaint aloud.

"Can't we wait with Leo and Kath?" Her eyes slid to the two, mingling amongst the crowds by the stalls and pretending to browse various wares. "What if I say please?"

Tristan said nothing, eyes flitting across the bustling place. Jax, amused at her attempt at politeness, snorted. "No. Kath and Leo are enough to catch their attention. Although it is a great shame to see you're wasting such charismatic potential on snarky comments and bitter sarcasm."

"Hardy-ha." She stuck out her tongue.

The pain in her joints had eased slightly but the beds in the Green Star hadn't granted her the peaceful sleep she wished for, nor the warm bath she craved. They had left the inn early, dumping their travelling clothes, still dirty despite their efforts to wash them, on collapsing doorsteps in case someone might want them.

Everything was set for the five wanderers to disappear—misting into transparency, blurring into nothing more than the colours which the world was painted in. To hide someone from existence is an art that must always be held in as high regard as swordsmanship.

And it just so happened that Mikel was very good at it.

When a merchant pulled Leo aside, waving over their fruit options he played along, but Elle noticed their mouths moving quickly and low. "Why the hell is he buying fruit?" Tristan peered into the throngs, eyes narrowing.

Elle shook her head as he nodded, grabbing Kath and sauntering back to where they stood with a triumphant grin playing on his features. "I think we found our guide."

#

Skulking just out of earshot of the main hubbub, their hooded guide waited. A mask was pinned covering their lower face, small eyes flitting between them. Elle noticed the feminine features and sharp cheekbones that seemed almost hollow. After a moments hesitation, they beckoned and briskly jogged into a labyrinth of streets.

Pulling her satchel over her shoulder, Elle creased her brows, opening her mouth to protest against following a random person, but Leo had already followed her around the corner.

They wove through the Northern Region of Lorel, to places where the light of day scarcely hit the stone due to the shade provided by spindly houses and roofs practically on top of one another. The cold air made her wish for another layer of clothing as she wrapped her arms around herself. An hour of jogging later, they had reached their destination: a dingy side street.

Her voice startled Elle, sounding young. "There's a small metal door. Knock thrice and say ychismo."

Without another word she scrambled up to the flat rooftops and skidded on the ice to neighbouring structures. Her movements were clumsy and slightly unbalanced, but something told her that in a few years time she would be a force to be reckoned with.

"Why couldn't Mikel have just put the location on a slip of paper?" Elle muttered, peering into the long alley.

The houses were dilapidated, windows in disrepair and piles of scrap had been thrown across the street. Stacked crates, crumpled paper and rotting food. Strips of fabric had been strewn around, ripped on nails and hanging in tatters from windows. The stench drifted lazily past her, and Elle had to plug her nose, grimacing. Did anyone live here anymore?

"It's a dead end. The little minx has led us in circles for her own amusement," Jax hissed, stalking forwards, overturning a bag of rubbish which spilled out onto the mud. Kath had edged further than the rest, "no." She said fervently, "it's here." Pulling back a tattered tapestry revealed the small metal door. Motioning for the others to keep their voices down, Tristan took the opportunity to lay down his plan.

"Our mission is to merely collect information. About anything—numbers, their methods, the training standard. We will join their recruitment regiment from the bottom—"

Elle snorted.

"—but most importantly we will not interact in there. Don't attract attention," with a glance to each one of them, Tristan repeated himself. "I mean it."

"We know, we know. Middle of the pack blah-blah," Leo waved away his concerns. Tristan frowned. "Our method of communication will be determined once we are inside."

Elle nodded, keeping an eye trained on the door.

"Kade mentioned they had someone working on the inside delivering letters. They know who we are and can get us further instructions," Jax supplied. At Elle's surprised look, he sneered. "I can contribute sometimes."

A thought suddenly occurred to Leo. "Oh! Will they take away my pretties?"

Everyone turned to him, brows furrowed.

"What...in gods names are your pretties?" Elle couldn't help from inquiring, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"My crossbow—and this." He produced a pocket knife, looking at it fondly. "It's small."

"Your crossbow isn't." The assassin folded her arms, then after a second she amended her answer. "Take it and see."

With that, Jax stepped forwards, pulling back the curtain and knocked thrice, speaking the word from an old forgotten language. The others stayed in the shadows as the entrance creaked open, a crack of light appearing as Jax was hurried inside, she could have sworn a murmured voice greeted him. Elle let out a breath of relief.

Next was Kath, half an hour later, left the alley with its dropping temperatures and was sucked inside, the door clicking shut behind her. Boots squelched against the mud towards the remaining three, crunching slightly when stepping on the ice. Someone had arrived. "Drunks?" Leo whispered, Elle shook her head, shushing him.

Without another word, Leo dove into one of the vacant houses, leaving Elle in the street. Suddenly Tristan was there, grabbing her wrist and pulling her down behind one of the piles of crap. When she realised who it was the assassin stopped resisting, both of them curled up as tight as they could. She could feel Tristan's heart thump from behind her. The makeshift barricade was only big enough for one, so they ended up entangled in each others' limbs.

Neither dared to move out of the uncomfortable position as a man skulked by, glancing around then gruffly whispered ychismo and was let inside.

Only then did Elle loose a breath.

"Close one," Tristan breathed over her head, his breath condensing into clouds. Chuckling, Elle rubbed her eyes, "gods." Twisting around, she held his gaze until—

Leo came bounding out of the house, rounding the pile and immediately jumping away again. "Woah, did not mean to interrupt...this," he gestured to their precarious position, one hand shielding his eyes as he peered through the gaps in his fingers. His interruption had snapped whatever quality the air seemed to possess, and the assassins scrambled to their feet. Elle felt heat rising to her cheeks as Leo backed away shaking his head.

"Don't let me stop you!"

They responded at the same time, hissing through the silent alley. "No, no. There is nothing going on." Elle crossed her arms defensively, while Tristan remarked, "piss off Leo."

"Well that's just sad." The assassin pouted comically. As he was about to open his mouth again, Elle jumped in. "I think we've left enough time for the next person to go in. I'll see you on the other side." With a grim nod, Tristan moved out of her way.

She approached the door, heartbeat kicking up again as she knocked firmly, uttering, "Ychismo." The lock sprung open, a hand grabbed hers and dragged her inside. Elle didn't steal a final look at the boys before the door shut with a distant clang behind her. 

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