27
I quickly palm my dagger, ready to attack.
“Stay where you are and put your hands up!” The guard shouts at me.
I do neither.
Instead, I slowly walk forwards, deciding my next move. Looking behind the guard and Cole, I note that there’s only one. He must have been faster than the rest.
“Do it, right now!” The guard shouts again. I sigh internally as I remember that I can’t just fling my blade at him and get this over with.
Putting on the mask of an innocent scared girl, I immediately drop my dagger and the artifact to hold up my hands.
“Please, please don’t hurt me…” I beg, forcing tears to well in my eyes.
The guard looks taken aback for a moment before his emotions change to display concern.
Good, that’s exactly what I need.
“I’m not going to hurt you, I just need to escort you both to the King.”
“No... no I can’t.” I say and start shaking, my bottom lip trembling as I say these last words.
I flick my gaze towards Cole for less than a second, willing him to clue on to my plan.
“Please...” I beg, dropping to my knees.
The guard hesitates for a moment but ultimately now has all his attention on me.
“He won’t hurt you, I—”
He’s cut off by Cole slamming his head into the guards nose. It’s enough to make him unstable but not to finish the job. I quickly grab the artifact and my dagger before turning invisible and racing forward.
I pocket the artifact before grabbing the guard's head and smashing it into the wall behind him.
“That’s how you knock someone out.” I say to Cole as I become visible again.
“Yeah yeah, we had a height difference alright.” Cole says defensively.
“Let’s get out of here before I actually have to kill someone.” I say to Cole as I grab his hand.
We turn invisible just in time as we see ten guards run around the corner, ready to attack whatever sounded the alarm. We press ourselves tight against the wall and watch them all enter the room before running the opposite direction.
We run as fast as we can, all the way down the stairs and right out the main castle doors. Passing guards, servants and other fae who were enjoying the celebrations tonight before the alarm abruptly interrupted them.
We’re sprinting down the stone path, getting nearer and nearer to the gates.
“You can’t leave ma’am.” I hear the guard saying to one of the guests standing in front of the gates and I halt. Causing Cole to come to a violent stop beside me.
“Why not?” The lady says curtly, crossing her arms.
“The building is on lockdown, you need to return to the main hall for processing, you’ll be able to leave in a couple of hours.”
The lady makes an angry noise and turns on her heel in a huff back to the castle.
I swear under my breath, after the lady passes us on the stone path.
“Can you climb?” I whisper to Cole, looking at the wall next to the gates.
“Not one handed.” He says incredulously.
Guards are now flooding out of the castle, as if they know the intruders can’t possibly be inside anymore.
I groan at him. “Can you do anything other than shielding?”
“Yeah, I can fly.”
“Are you serious?”
“No!” He exclaims, sounding flustered. “Of course I can’t fly! Shielding is all I have.”
I roll my eyes and bite back a laugh, this is not the time for this.
“Well, I’m waiting for any other ideas.” I demand impatiently.
I feel Cole’s hand tense in my own while he’s thinking of other options.
“Okay, come on.” Cole says as he leads me back into the castle.
I don’t bother arguing with the counterproductiveness of going back into the castle, not when I’m out of ideas.
This would be so much easier if I could just leave him here and climb the wall but alas, we’re stuck together.
Cole pulls me around the castle, checking different rooms and hallways, looking for something. All while we pass countless guards who are also checking everything in big groups.
We stumble across a hallway that’s much quieter, it’s possible the guards have already done their rounds here and have moved on, save for the one they’ve left behind to keep watch.
“Stay here.” Cole whispers and I go to protest, but he’s too quick and lets go of my hand, becoming visible.
“Hey, where did you come from!” The guard yells as Cole prowls closer.
The guard pulls out his sword and attempts to swipe at Cole but he shields against him, it’s remarkable to watch. The guard gets more and more frustrated, swiping at Cole harder and faster to try and reach him.
I watch as Cole reaches his hands back and then pushes forward, like he’s pushing his shield out towards the guard. The energy and force knocks the guard backwards, clean off his feet. His head hits the ledge of the window behind him and he’s out cold.
“Help me will you?” Cole demands as he grabs the guard from underneath his shoulders to drag him.
I run up and grab his feet.
“I will never get over how weird it is to see you fight people or pick things up while using your power.” Cole says to me.
I don’t bother replying as we drag the guard into a room.
Cole starts to undress the guard and put the dark blue uniform on himself, over his own clothes.
“What are you doing?” I ask him.
“You can’t keep us both invisible and I’m not waiting here for hours until they open the gate to civilians, they should open the gate to their own guards.”
“And if they don’t?”
“I’ll have you knock them out and we’ll open it ourselves.”
I let out a breath. “Not the most fool proof or glamorous plan but it’ll do.”
Cole doesn’t answer as he keeps getting dressed, rushing to get the guards uniform on.
“This would be different for you right?” Cole says suddenly.
“What do you mean?”
“Having to find a way out that doesn’t involve just climbing or walking out because no one can see you.”
I cross my arms. “There've been plenty of missions where I’ve been forced a tonic that nullifies my powers, I’ve had to fight my way out countless times.”
“Yes but we’re not supposed to kill anyone, have you had any missions like that?”
I think for a moment, I can’t remember a mission where I’ve specifically been asked not to kill anyone.
“I suppose you’re right, I haven’t had a mission like that.”
“First time for everything, although I’m surprised you haven’t ditched me yet.”
“You’ve warmed up to me commander, I’d rather not see you in a prison.” I smile at him and he grins back.
“I’m flattered. But I think it’s more to do with you not wanting to piss off Xander.” Cole replies with a chuckle.
I shoot him a glare and he just rolls his eyes.
Once Cole’s fully dressed, I turn invisible and we walk out calmly.
Cole mimics the other guards actions on our way out by occasionally checking rooms or looking around when the guards pass us.
We make it back to the stone path and stride for the gate with no issues.
“What are you doing here?” One of the guards at the gates demands Cole when we approach.
“I’ve been sent by the King to start searching outside the castle. They think the intruder might have climbed the wall.”
The guards look at each other for a moment and my heart starts pounding in my chest.
“We haven’t received word from the King.”
“He’s hauled up in his quarters, waiting until it’s clear in case of an assassination attempt. This is your word from the King.” Cole says with a lethal commanding tone in his voice.
One that I’m sure he uses on his own men.
“Very well.” The guard to the left says and they both turn to open the gates.
I walk through just behind Cole, careful to keep my steps quiet and breathing shallow.
Once we’re through, just a little bit past the castle, I turn visible and look across to Cole, both of us break out in laughter.
“I’m so glad that worked.” Cole says through his laughter.
The commander disposes of his guard uniform in one of the alleyways when we’re far enough away.
We walk through the rest of the city before we make it to the entrance and jump on our horse.
We then ride off, leaving Wendil behind us.
After riding through the night and the next day, with only a few stops to stretch, Cole pulls us into a town to rest for the last night before we make it back to Erador.