Kylar watched as the dark form of Shiress's attacker slid from view beneath the surface of Lake Ravok. Glancing down at the assassin's dagger clutched in his fist, he briefly contemplated tossing the weapon into the depths, too, but thought better of it, cleaned the dried blood from the blade, and slid it home in a sheath hidden within his boot. Standing, the Nitrozian spy gave his surroundings a cursory glance before darting his eyes skyward, noting the time.
Ambrosia would be home by now.
Disposing of the body had taken Kylar longer than he had intended, running into trouble trying to find an adequate enough weight to submerge the larger assailant's substantial body, then coming face to face with a small mass of cousins, doing Gods knew what, near the only route back to where the body had been temporarily hidden. To say that meeting was awkward would be like saying Rhysol was kind of bad. So, as it were, Syna's rays had dipped into the west, and the shadows across Ravok were growing longer by the chime.
Arriving back at the Caldera Manor, Kylar paused several feet from the entrance, then slid into the shadows, alert. Shiress's charge may be home, but the front door stood ajar, and the Nitrozian was no longer taking any chances. Metal hissed against leather as he drew his sword from his back and stepped slowly, silently, toward the open door. A sudden illumination from within halted his movements, and he watched as the bubble of light progressed toward the entryway, then stopped. After a tick, Kylar peered around the doorframe, seeing Ambrosia's startled gaze locked onto the remnants of Shiress's attack. Slowly, he stepped into the lamplight, sword held by his side in a non-threatening manner, and spoke in a low, gentle voice.
"Ambrosia? My name is Kylar Nitrozian" he held out a hand, palm out, in a calming gesture. "I'm a friend of Shiress's, and I have come to take you to her and Caspian." Kylar knew the girl would have a barrage of questions for him if outright distrust didn't render her speechless, so he spoke quickly, resheathing his blade and stepping further into the manor. "Shiress was attacked this afternoon, an assassin sent by the Caldera's to end the bloodline of Elias. Shiress was stabbed but will live."
He neglected to say that the same could not be said about her unborn child but presumed Ambrosia would come to that conclusion herself. "Caspian and shiress are at the vacant home of Clyde Sullins." he continued, evenly "I've returned to take you there. You are not safe here."
Thankfully, the girl seemed persuaded to follow Kylar, either from immense bravery or loyalty to her friend, Kylar didn't know. He gave her time to grab what belongings she needed, and just as the last of Syna's rays dipped below the horizon, Kylar and Ambrosia were on their way. The Nitrozian was patient in answering any questions the girl might have as they moved quickly through the city.
More than once, the spy recognized Lark guards looking suspiciously as if they were searching for someone. Kylar tugged the hood of his cloak up around his head and placed his arm around Ambrosia's slender shoulders in an attempt to resemble a couple making their way home.
For the most part, it worked...
Just as the Cullins cottage came into view, Kylar paused for just a tick, listening, then took off at a full run. His sword was sliding free once again.
------------------------------------------
Shiress's scream reverberated throughout the small confines of the cottage, causing the man above her to hesitate just long enough for her to get a shoulder beneath his chest and shove him away. Crab walking backward a pace, she slammed her foot into the side of the man's drug-addled head once, twice, and he went down.
Shiress stared at the prone figure in silence for a traumatized moment, heaving lungfuls of air through a curtain of hair plastered across her face, before swinging around to her hands and knees and crawling toward Caspian. Reaching her friend's side, she gently pulled his head into her lap. He lay very still, too still, and a thin line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Tears immediately flooded Shiress's eyes as she whispered his name over and over and got no response.
The front door of the cottage suddenly slammed inward, reverberating off the inside wall with a loud crack. Shiress's head jerked up just as Kylar followed the momentum of his kick into the room, blue eyes roaming over Shiress and Caspian before landing on the still unconscious stranger. A split tick later, a second figure appeared in the doorway.
"Ambrosia!" Shiress let out a loud, relieved sob, then dropped her gaze to Caspian's pale face, attempting to speak through her sobs. "He gave him something, drugged him, forced something into his mouth!"
Shiress broke then.
Elias
Rook
The attack
Her baby
Now Caspian
All of it, the weight of all that she had endured, shattered any pretense of stoicism. Lowering her head, Shiress wailed her heartbreak against Caspian's chest.
Ambrosia would be home by now.
Disposing of the body had taken Kylar longer than he had intended, running into trouble trying to find an adequate enough weight to submerge the larger assailant's substantial body, then coming face to face with a small mass of cousins, doing Gods knew what, near the only route back to where the body had been temporarily hidden. To say that meeting was awkward would be like saying Rhysol was kind of bad. So, as it were, Syna's rays had dipped into the west, and the shadows across Ravok were growing longer by the chime.
Arriving back at the Caldera Manor, Kylar paused several feet from the entrance, then slid into the shadows, alert. Shiress's charge may be home, but the front door stood ajar, and the Nitrozian was no longer taking any chances. Metal hissed against leather as he drew his sword from his back and stepped slowly, silently, toward the open door. A sudden illumination from within halted his movements, and he watched as the bubble of light progressed toward the entryway, then stopped. After a tick, Kylar peered around the doorframe, seeing Ambrosia's startled gaze locked onto the remnants of Shiress's attack. Slowly, he stepped into the lamplight, sword held by his side in a non-threatening manner, and spoke in a low, gentle voice.
"Ambrosia? My name is Kylar Nitrozian" he held out a hand, palm out, in a calming gesture. "I'm a friend of Shiress's, and I have come to take you to her and Caspian." Kylar knew the girl would have a barrage of questions for him if outright distrust didn't render her speechless, so he spoke quickly, resheathing his blade and stepping further into the manor. "Shiress was attacked this afternoon, an assassin sent by the Caldera's to end the bloodline of Elias. Shiress was stabbed but will live."
He neglected to say that the same could not be said about her unborn child but presumed Ambrosia would come to that conclusion herself. "Caspian and shiress are at the vacant home of Clyde Sullins." he continued, evenly "I've returned to take you there. You are not safe here."
Thankfully, the girl seemed persuaded to follow Kylar, either from immense bravery or loyalty to her friend, Kylar didn't know. He gave her time to grab what belongings she needed, and just as the last of Syna's rays dipped below the horizon, Kylar and Ambrosia were on their way. The Nitrozian was patient in answering any questions the girl might have as they moved quickly through the city.
More than once, the spy recognized Lark guards looking suspiciously as if they were searching for someone. Kylar tugged the hood of his cloak up around his head and placed his arm around Ambrosia's slender shoulders in an attempt to resemble a couple making their way home.
For the most part, it worked...
Just as the Cullins cottage came into view, Kylar paused for just a tick, listening, then took off at a full run. His sword was sliding free once again.
------------------------------------------
Shiress's scream reverberated throughout the small confines of the cottage, causing the man above her to hesitate just long enough for her to get a shoulder beneath his chest and shove him away. Crab walking backward a pace, she slammed her foot into the side of the man's drug-addled head once, twice, and he went down.
Shiress stared at the prone figure in silence for a traumatized moment, heaving lungfuls of air through a curtain of hair plastered across her face, before swinging around to her hands and knees and crawling toward Caspian. Reaching her friend's side, she gently pulled his head into her lap. He lay very still, too still, and a thin line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Tears immediately flooded Shiress's eyes as she whispered his name over and over and got no response.
The front door of the cottage suddenly slammed inward, reverberating off the inside wall with a loud crack. Shiress's head jerked up just as Kylar followed the momentum of his kick into the room, blue eyes roaming over Shiress and Caspian before landing on the still unconscious stranger. A split tick later, a second figure appeared in the doorway.
"Ambrosia!" Shiress let out a loud, relieved sob, then dropped her gaze to Caspian's pale face, attempting to speak through her sobs. "He gave him something, drugged him, forced something into his mouth!"
Shiress broke then.
Elias
Rook
The attack
Her baby
Now Caspian
All of it, the weight of all that she had endured, shattered any pretense of stoicism. Lowering her head, Shiress wailed her heartbreak against Caspian's chest.