34. Callum #2
“Us included,” I stated as we stopped in front of our tent, Eleana stepping out to join us.
“We’ve never not had faith in the Eternal during a mission,” Eleana added as she looked between the two of us. “So don’t tell me the two of you are doubting Aeternus now.”
I rubbed at the back of my neck as I looked at her, eyes sharpening. “Doubting, no. Questioning why we are flying around that stars-damned wall once a day for six days without advancing, attacking, or fighting back . . . yes.”
“Well, stop questioning it,” Eleana replied. “It’s not going to change the outcome of the mission.”
Axel sighed, shaking his head as he entered the tent. “Wake me up when it’s time to leave.”
We left the war camp under the cover of night, sneaking through the tents. The three of us—the Shade of the Aurelian Guild—snuck out of the camp on foot, keeping from the tent lights as we left through the back of the war camp undetected.
Thanks to our time escaping from Raelyna’s apartment, we were far too familiar with the desert dunes on the far side of Solis.
I could feel the heat of the sand radiating even as the desert air cooled it.
The dunes provided the perfect amount of cover if we kept low to the ground as we walked through the sands until we were far enough from the war camp that it was barely visible behind us.
“We’re clear,” Axel said into the night, and the three of us collectively tugged our wings to the surface. My feathers rippled as I stretched them wide, enjoying the feel of the desert wind brushing against them as I moved, catching a gust and lifting into the air.
I felt the moment Axel’s illustratio affinity circled around the three of us, his affinity providing a protective shield that also helped keep us hidden in the shadows.
“Stay close to me and low to the dunes,” Axel bit out through clenched teeth as we hovered in the air. “I’ll make sure we blend into the surroundings as best I can, but don’t stray too far.”
“Understood,” Eleana and I replied as we scanned the perimeter. From our current position, we could just make out the outline of The Wall in the distance, the cement slabs appearing more like a speck on the horizon than a barricade.
Soon, we were moving silently through the night, gliding along the currents as we flew toward the one window we knew would allow us easy entrance into Solis Quarter.
We kept to the dunes, allowing the fog from the night air to provide us with cover as we darted through the night, knowing the RSG couldn’t see this far in the dark of the night.
The desert winds howled as we tore through the sky at a rapid pace, and I thanked Aeternus that the sand winds weren’t blowing tonight.
After our journey back from the desert, it had taken two days of speciality treatments for the sand granules to be fully removed from my wings—a perk of being in the Guild.
But I did not want to have to endure that painstaking process again so soon.
“You’re sure about this?” Eleana questioned as we cut through the air, getting closer to the spot where Raelyna’s apartment should be located.
“Yes,” I replied. “I won’t be there long. Just enough time to ensure she has what she needs to free her sister from the temple, understands our plans, then I’ll be back.”
The plan had been simple enough . . . with the most difficult aspect being sneaking in and out of both the camp and Raelyna’s apartment without detection.
However, thanks to Axel’s illustratio affinity and the fact that we knew the weak points in the guard’s watch schedules, we were fairly confident we could sneak in and out undetected.
Seeing as we’d already done it twice in the past month without being caught.
“The RSG are more concerned with keeping their own citizens in then they will be with watching for outsiders sneaking in,” Axel stated as we began to fly closer to The Wall.
“I don’t love it,” Eleana grumbled as she flew beside me, Axel still flying further ahead as he scouted, while pushing his affinity out to ensure we were shielded from all angles.
“What do you love about secret missions?” I asked as I glanced at the female beside me.
“That’s not fair,” she retorted with a huff. “Most of your side missions don’t involve breaking into the enemy Quarter the night before we move into action to destroy the very same Quarter.”
“Maybe not,” I confessed. “But nothing will go wrong, I promise.”
Eleana just scoffed from my side.
We flew in silence as we began to follow along the outer edge of The Wall, still far enough away to avoid being detected from the RSG’s surveillance monitors.
We were careful to glide along the shadows, ensuring our wings didn’t disturb the sands below us as we moved further and further along The Wall, searching for the indicator for Raelyna’s apartment on the outer edge.
My gaze caught on a lone ribbon flying in the desert night, the silk material reflecting as the moon hit it, and I began to turn toward the marker, thanking the stars I’d given her something to indicate which apartment was hers.
“Be quick about it,” Eleana confirmed, her voice barely audible as we flew toward the singular ribbon floating in the wind like a beacon.
I began to veer away as she spoke once again.
“It’s supposed to be in and out. You drop off the tools she needs to break her sister out, and you come right back. ”
I nodded as the wind brushed my skin, the cool desert air wrapping around me as I headed closer and closer to her window, leaving my friends off in the distance, monitoring the perimeter in case of any complications.
I knew I didn’t have much time . . . but I didn’t need much. Just enough to ensure Raelyna understood what was coming over the next week. Enough to ensure my starbound was safe.