26
I’m pulled from my sleep by the sound of my name and hands on my shoulders, gently shaking me. I bat them away and pull the covers over my head. Still half asleep and needing at least five more minutes.
The bedsheets have become a warm shield over my body from the cold seeping through the window. I lean into the covers, desperate for more warmth, when all of the sudden I feel an ice cold wave rush over me, taking the breath from my lungs.
Reflexes take over as I wake up and grab my dagger tucked under my pillow. I spring up, my hair dripping as I ready to face whatever bastard just pulled me from my sleep.
I hear laughter and see Cole in the corner of the room, water jug in hand.
“You complete ass!” I scream at him.
He just keeps laughing. “You should see the look on your face.”
“You’re so lucky you’re all the way over there or your King would have had to find a new commander!”
He holds his hands up looking so much more innocent than what he is.
“I tried to wake you normally but you wouldn’t budge.” Cole says in defence.
“So your next thought is ice cold water?” I yell the question at him.
He shrugs. “Seemed like the next best option.”
I throw my dagger at his smug face, the unsuspected blade landing in the wood next to his head with a loud thump.
I smile at his wide eyes. He may have stumbled upon a revelation about who I am, but clearly, I still have the upper hand. I get up and retrieve my dagger from the wood next to Cole and stalk to the bathroom to dry off.
When I’m cleaned up, we make our way downstairs, the tavern empty, save for a few still drunk men and women asleep on the tables. I certainly won’t miss the feel or smell of this place.
We reach the borders of Wendil by nightfall. The city is beautiful with its citizens being people of much higher earnings than the previous towns we have rode through. The contrast is so harsh it could almost give me whiplash after our journey.
The streets are narrow as we walk through, having tied up Cole’s horse at the entrance.
The walkway is paved with cobblestones and lit by tall black lamp posts either side.
There are couples walking the streets, looking for a nice spot to eat, warm lights displaying all the open cosy taverns to buy dinner.
The children are all running home, ready for home cooked meals.
There’s energetic music playing, coming from some buskers and the taverns.
The buildings are all made of stone and I realise that this city is separated slightly as we pass through a stone archway and meet the homes of Wendil.
Gone are the taverns and shops. Before us, are large beautiful stone homes, with warm light flowing through them. Though the air is much colder here, I realise that I quite like this city.
“Are you nervous?’ Cole asks.
I turn and glare at him.
“You say you know my character so well and yet if you did, you would know that I do not get nervous for missions.”
Cole scoffs. “I know that you do not show when you’re nervous but there are certainly times where you have been.”
“Well, if I am nervous now, it is only because I’m worried about you as a liability.” I bite back at him.
Cole looks at me incredulously, mouth slightly open, as if he can’t believe what I just said.
“If anything, you’re the liability as you can’t keep us invisible for longer than twenty minutes.”
“Yet I could keep myself invisible the entire time.”
Cole says nothing more, he just turns his direction forward, his lips forming a small smile.
I follow his gaze to see the castle up ahead.
The grey stone walls are stuck slightly in the mountain behind, using it as a barrier against the cold or possibly enemies beyond.
The castle is oddly not as large or grand as Erador’s but still big enough to have gotten lost, if it wasn’t for Xander giving us directions when we were planning.
We stop at the castle gates, seeing the walls that border them meeting with the mountain. Making this the only way in and out. There are two guards either side of the gate, ready to only let in those with an invitation or reason.
Cole and I rear off to the side of the path, keeping a casual persona as we wait patiently for someone to approach the gates and be granted access.
I see a fae couple moving in the direction of the gates. Dressed nicely, looking exactly like they’re meeting a King. I quickly grab Cole’s hand to turn us invisible. We walk closely behind them.
Once we’re through the iron gates, a stone path way is lit up ahead, winding its way to the castle doors. Cole and I follow the couple along, carefully and quietly until we’re through the doors.
The castle's walls inside are brightly lit, looking quite the opposite of Hidale’s stone castle.
There are people everywhere, handmaidens, caterers and guards. There must be some sort of celebration in Wendil tonight.
We quickly and quietly move past everyone and up the stairs. We make it up to the top floor, without being noticed by anyone. However, I can feel my energy start to fade.
“We need to get to the room as soon as possible.” I whisper to Cole.
I can’t see his response but I can feel him as he starts leading the way now, urgently.
The hallway is deserted so no one can see as he opens a door and pulls us into a small supply room off the side of the hallway. I take a breath and let go of his hand.
“What are we doing here?”
“Giving you more time.” Cole says sternly, I can see the worry etched on his brows.
“Good idea.” I reply and look away from him, it’s so small and cramped in this supply cupboard, with brooms and boxes all around us.
“Couldn’t have chosen a better room for me to rest in?” I say with a slight smile.
“This room is less likely to be disturbed.” Cole says bluntly, gone is the humour in his eyes from this morning.
“I guess.” I say with a shrug, “but I could have done with a bed, or a couch, or something, my feet are killing me.”
A small smile tugs at the corner of his lips, I smile back, noting his humour returning and worry dissipating ever so slightly. Though the weight is never fully lifted off the commander’s shoulders. I’m not sure it ever will be.
“You'll live.” He says with a soft smile.
After a few moments, I tell Cole I’m ready and he grabs my hand but I don’t turn invisible yet. I wait, listening at the door. Cole opens it once the coast is clear and I turn us invisible, saving us as much time as possible.
We creep towards the end of the hall, now standing in front of the grand double doors etched in paintings of cream coloured swirls that Xander told us about.
I halt before opening the door, there are no guards around which could very well mean they’re inside. I look around, trying to see if there would be another way in.
I hear Cole swear under his breath, like he’s also coming to the same realisation and trying to find a way.
I see windows on the walls to the left and right of the hallway. If I could climb out there and around, there might be windows leading into the room.
I sigh, this genuinely would’ve been much easier by myself or if I was allowed to attack.
“Go back to the storage cupboard.” I tell Cole.
“What?”
“Go back, I’m going to climb around the outside to get in and I hate to say it but I can’t do that holding your hand.”
“You’re not going in there by yourself.” Cole says sternly.
“Too bad.” I grit out, “you’re going to have to trust me at some point and right now, we’re wasting time.”
“It’s not about trust, it’s that you don’t know what you’re walking into.” He takes a breath, “you’re here to steal the artifact, I’m here to protect you, I can’t just let you go in there.”
“I can handle myself.” I say bluntly, hating the doubt in his voice. I’m not unaccustomed to people underestimating me when they look at me. But once they know me, once they’ve seen what I can do, they don’t dare doubt me.
“I know okay, I know.” He says, like he’s caught in a battle.
We're silent for a moment and I’m about to just let go of his hand and do it without his agreement but he speaks again before I have the chance.
“Alright, fine. But I’ll be right outside this door, I’m not going back to the storage cupboard. If someone comes I’ll climb out the window.”
“Fine. “ I say and let go of his hand.
I see the commander become visible and quickly climb out the window to our right.
I’m met with a cool breeze and fight to bite back my shiver as I crouch on the window sill.
There is a slight ledge from the cornice that I can climb across. It’s small but I’ve climbed across smaller.
I step out onto the ledge and make my way across, while holding onto a jagged part of the stone wall, chest to chest with the castle.
The tips of my fingers cry out in pain from the harsh cool wind and I wish that I had thought to wear gloves but it’s much too late now.
I don’t dare look down at ground that I know would be so far below me.
I turn my gaze to the wall next to me and spot the next window.
I quickly climb across, working my hands down the wall so that I can come to a slight crouch and peer in.
Being in this position makes it considerably harder to hold onto the wall and keep my grip as my knees are getting in the way.
But the window next to me doesn’t have a big enough ledge for me to perch on and see inside.
I peer around from where I am crouched against the wall and can just make out the room before me.
I can only see a small portion but from what I can see, the room looks to be long, with a few display cases lining the pathway in the middle of the room.
Just as Xander had described.
I flinch, startled as a guard walks right past the windows.
He can't see me but I wasn’t expecting him to be right there. I almost lose my grip but I manage to hold on as my fingers cry out.
I watch as the guards patrol the room, walking back and forth from one end to the other, there’s three of them.
If I was allowed to kill, this would be so much easier. I almost sigh as I pull one hand off the wall to grab the sleeping tonic in a glass vile, from the small bag attached around my hips.
“This better work.” I whisper to myself just before I quickly open the window and throw the bottle in the room. I hear it smash and close the window again.
The guards start shouting.
“What was that?”
“Wait no— don’t approach it!” But he’s too late, I hear all three bodies drop.
“Thank the gods.” I whisper and slip the cloth that’s around my neck, over my mouth and nose before going in.
Once I'm in the room, I become visible again to save my power, ready for Cole and I to make our escape.
The room is a lot bigger than it appears on the outside, with a high curved ceiling shaped like a long dome.
There’s a red carpet leading up the middle, this is where I see the bodies of the guards.
The gas is still escaping from the broken bottle but with the fabric over my face, it doesn't affect me.
I won’t dare go too close to it either way.
I walk slowly up the red carpet, looking at all of the trophies and prized possessions that King Jenson has.
They’re all placed nicely in big glass cubes atop deep wooden stands.
All the objects are so vastly different.
I see a golden goblet in one, a weird looking dish in another and I almost laugh at the next one I come across.
I press my fingers to the glass and lean in to get a closer look. It’s one of my daggers from my past missions when I was at the Agency. I can tell by the ruby on the hilt, I had lost this dagger years ago.
Gods, I didn't realise I was important enough to be collected with all these other objects.
“They’re surely not going to miss this.” I whisper to myself as I lift the glass off to grab my dagger.
Alarms sound everywhere, so loud and aggressive it startles me. I drop the case to the ground, shattering the glass as I bring my hands to my ears. The sound is like violent bells clashing together, consuming my whole body. I quickly grab my dagger from the red cushion and sheath it at my ribs.
I look around frantically, the guards are still sleeping, no one is here.
There must be a fae with the power set a trap on the glass.
Whipping my gaze around the room I can see there’s no alarms in here, nothing in this room making the noise.
Fuck, maybe they were notified when I touched the glass, maybe a fae had sounded the alarm elsewhere in the castle.
I’ve got no way to stop it.
Well, I guess that means subtlety is out the window.
I doubt Xander will be impressed.
I search the rest of the room, desperate to find the artifact now that I have so graciously alerted everyone of my presence.
I smile when I finally see it at the very end of the room.
Its golden stem reflects off the moonlight from the windows, leading to the black and purple handle at the bottom.
I quickly yank off the glass box, grab the artifact by the handle and run towards the door, hopefully Cole is still there waiting.
The door opens before I make it there and causes me to halt, I see Cole at the other side and breathe out a sigh of relief.
“Thank gods it’s you!”
I start to run towards him before he shakes his head. A guard pops out from behind him.
Holding Cole’s hands behind his back.