Eletheria stood up as the door was closing, she opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. Mentally she reviewed the past month and saw the path everything was on to when the Vol Mortem was attacked. So many things had changed but there was one thing that hadn’t: she still did not feel anything more than friendship for Lex.

The door to her room opened giving her a brief respite with an old problem. Felicia was standing at the door looking at her with some concern. Ele looked into her eyes for a moment getting lost in them and smiled.

“Um, Ma’am, we are meeting on the roof,” Felicia said and smiled back.

“I just need a moment and I will join you shortly,” Ele replied. After Felicia closed the door, Ele’s smile slowly disappeared. A quick shake of her head as Ele organized her thoughts. She looked at the window and saw it was still light out. While she didn’t expect anything malicious, the idea of holding a meeting this early seemed odd. Ele hobbled over to the desk and snagged some papers while trying to think of a plan in case the news was bad. She hadn’t been a person who prepared this much before, but the recent events gave her a hard lesson that she needed to try and be one step ahead of her foe. In the case of her aunt and the Council, she knew she couldn’t outsmart them so she just wanted to be on equal footing. She took a look at a notebook with their current plans and brought it with her. Almost everything within the notebook was committed to memory so she could destroy the book if needed.

As Ele stepped out of her room, she was as ready as she was going to be. She only used one crutch so she could hold onto her papers and the notebook while going up the stairs. Climbing upstairs with only a single crutch was only a little more difficult than with both. Slowly she made it up to the roof where the sun was at a blissful angle so they had some shade from a tall wall that was meant to keep people from looking over the ledge in the front of the building. Lex had changed into some different clothing, he almost looked like the lordling that he used to be. Cesar was still dressed in plain clothes looking towards the horizon, but Isaac looked like he was ready for a party, even a cravat. Even Lex’s eyes were wide open as he stared at Isaac, at least Ele wasn’t the only incredulous one there. James was already sitting down with his back against the wall drinking a glass of something dark. From the look on his face this wasn’t the first or second, and probably not the last.

“What news?” Ele asked as she got seated on one of the sturdy logs they used as seats.

“Rumor is, the Council knows you are still in the city,” Isaac hastily informed everyone and when he said ‘you’, he looked right at Ele. “I was at a party and overheard Ve and Gabriel talk talking about it.”

“It could be a trap!” Lex immediately warned.

“We should leave now,” Felicia warned. Soon Isaac, Felicia, and Lex were talking quickly about what they should do. Ele noticed Cesar and James were not offering anything. Ele held up her hand to quiet everyone else.

“Cesar, what are your thoughts?” Ele asked while looking at him.

“M’lady, if they knew we were here they would also be here,” Cesar said simply then returned his gaze to the horizon. “My men grow restless. We should look into leaving soon, regardless of rumors.”

“James, any thoughts?” Ele asked, looking at the pale and slightly inebriated doctor.

“We should leave. We know of four ships that we could use, but tracking down the owners has been difficult. We should just go down there at night and take one.” James emptied the glass into his mouth and swallowed. “If the Council is smart, they will be keeping an eye on ship purchases, even those involving a ship stuck on land.”

That last point hit home to everyone standing on the roof as everyone quieted. It was several moments before anyone recovered to say anything. Lex was the first person to speak, “They couldn’t track every ship sale. That would require them contacting every captain. That is impossible.” Ele nodded her head as the Council would have to be a part of every conversation. Some ships changed hands over a card game, results of who died in a fight, and others part of a payment plan.

“The Council doesn’t need to listen about ship deals.” Cesar spoke up again and this time was looking directly at Ele. “Each ship transferred to a new owner requires paperwork to be submitted. The Council just needs to have someone there.”

Ele started feeling like she was being choked. Their plan was to buy a ship and then sail the next day. The Council, if they had a spy in the records department, would have known. The trap they avoided narrowly reminded Ele how much more capable and resourceful her foe was.

“We take a ship and leave tonight. Gather everyone up and let’s meet at the Kvorth docks by the sunset bell,” Ele said clearly and noticed the look of shock upon some faces. There was still some sailors and people gathering supplies; to assemble and get there in one bell seemed impossible. Confusion and counter arguments arose from Lex and Felicia, but Isaac and Cesar immediately headed towards the stairs. Lex paused and opened his mouth but closed it without saying anything. He turned and headed downstairs. Felicia stayed behind looking at Ele.

“But you haven’t practiced enough,” Felicia said as she held out two of the wires they were working with earlier.

“It will have to be enough,” Ele replied and started to turn around but stopped herself. “Felicia, why do you have the wires still?”

“So, I could practice, too,” Felicia replied and Ele looked at her with shock.

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“You have the touch?” Ele asked and she had to remind herself to close her jaw so she didn’t stand there gaping at Felicia.

“Aye, not like you, just a little touch. Ma always said I had wealth running in my blood, I just wish it was a little more than this.” Felicia held out her hands and a little spark jumped across the small gap. Ele did not feel the use of quan at all when it happened.

“All help, big or small, contributes to the goal,” Ele quoted the scripture from the old faith. Before they were enslaved, G’Aeris had a polytheistic belief with many Gods they prayed to. Ele always wondered how people who considered themselves gods would have gods of their own. Ele’s words appeared to have worked for Felicia who smiled and bowed. As Felicia headed toward the ladder, only Ele was left remaining on the roof. She looked at the sky and noticed a storm was coming in from the Hfoth side. Sensing they had already run out of time, Ele hobbled over to the ladder and headed down as fast as she could.

Eletheria was not the last to be ready but she was the last to get out the door. Her crutches made movement difficult for her, so once she was ready, everyone that could quickly get ready had started moving things downstairs or burning what they were not bringing with them. There were hundreds of little papers and notes that might implicate anyone or even provide a clue, they gathered them all. Even if they had to forfeit the mission, they would not be coming back to this place. Ele did not know the next place they would go but tried to not think about it. She needed to focus on calculations and the approximate strength and lift of their various metal rods. They also hadn’t finished winding the rods with wire either so that was something they would have to do once they located a ship.

The storm rolled into their side of town, making the evening disappear into almost night as the dark clouds filled the sky and blocked out the last bit of sunlight on the horizon. About the time the rain started pouring heavily, they were completely cleared out of the little apartment they were staying in. Cesar and Isaac left with all but two of the sailors to get to the beach first. They would scout out and find the most seaworthy vessel still stuck on the beach. The two sailors that Ele was unfamiliar with were left behind with her and Lex. Lex had gone out with them on a scouting mission before and introduced Gerard and Konrade to Ele. Gerard was a pale, balding G’Aequor a little shorter than Ele but doubled her weight in pure muscle. Konrade was the same height as Ele with the darkened skin of a G’Aeris who spent time in the sun.

Felicia and James were staying behind to double-check everything and to finish packing. The place was James’ actual home so there were many more items that he wanted to clear out. After goodbyes were said, Ele, Lex, Gerard, and Konrade headed out into the rain. The four of them had neither a carriage nor a horse so they wrapped themselves up in some heavy cloaks and started walking down the street towards the docks. Ele struggled to keep pace with everyone as walking with the crutches slowed her down. After a few blocks, Konrade’s guard must have dropped down a little as he started to talk to Gerard and Lex.

“If it rains any harder, we will be able to just sail the boat out the harbor,” Konrade said, and Gerard scowled at his comment. Ele smiled but quickly changed it into a frown once she saw Lex was not smiling. Konrade saw everyone’s reaction and did a little turn with his arms out. “The rain has everyone inside except the crazies. No one will hear or care.”

“Keep your voice low just in case and watch what you say. Last thing we want is some people reporting which direction we left.” Lex advised, his frown deepening into a scowl. Konrade must have gotten the message as he did not say anything else as they walked along.

Ahead of them, a group of men appeared out of the darkness. The rain concealed them until Ele’s group was almost upon them. Both groups stopped a few paces from each other, and Lex immediately said, “My apology. We did not see ye standing there ‘cause of the rain.” Lex even added a little bow at the end of his statement.

“No insult taken. However, ye have entered Juro-owned land. There’s a toll to pass.” One of the members spoke, but in the rain, it was difficult to tell which one it was, overall there were 6 men standing in front of them. Ele tried glancing to the left and right to see if anyone was around them but the rain and darkness prevented her from seeing anyone. The comparison of the neighborhoods with the lack of working street lights was obvious. The difference between the Hfoth and Kvorth sides was huge, so the Council must not be interested in maintaining the side that wasn’t used as much as the other.

“Good sirs, we did not know there was a toll. Please allow us to turn around, and we will leave in peace,” Konrade said, taking a step forward, holding his hands out, palms up.

“Now ye see, that’s a problem. The area behind ye is also Juro land. If we let ye go back you will be trespassing there as well,” The same voice said from the group, but this time someone stepped forward. “Now if you hand us ye coin, we will dismiz your insult and allow you to continue onto ye way.” The speaker was not as tall as the other ruffians but he was openly brandishing a knife.

“We don’t have time for this,” Lex said as he stepped forward. Ele could feel her hair rising, so she held a hand in front of Lex to keep him from reaching the guy.

“We do not have much money but you can have it all,” Ele stated. She balanced herself upon one crutch and her good leg and with her free hand she threw a coin purse towards the lead ruffian. Konrade and Gerard did the same, but Lex stalled. With a glare, he looked at Ele and frowned. Ele wondered if Lex held onto a large sum they were going to use to purchase the ship. Such a sum would be a fortune to anyone on the Kvorth side. “There, you have our coin; let us pass,” Ele quickly said to cover up Lex’s lack of contribution to the toll.

“Everyone gives, even your boy.” the leader said as he pointed his knife at Lex.

“Him? He is just a bodyguard, he has no coin,” Ele quickly replied.

“Well, if he has no coin, then it wouldn’t hurt if we double-checked then, would it?” The speaker countered, and two of the ruffians stepped forward. “After all, you insulted us and you wouldn’t insult us more by lying?” A malicious smile appeared on the speaker’s face as he spoke the last statement. Lex was shaking his head and he allowed his hood from his jacket to fall down. The rain was coming down pretty hard, and his hair was drenched in seconds.

“Let them search me. Konrade and Gerard, please move away and protect the lady,” Lex advised, ignoring Ele and the subtle shaking of her head. As Konrade and Gerard stepped aside and then back to protect Ele, two ruffians stepped forward to search Lex. The one on the left had a deep scar that went down the side of his face and onto part of his shoulder. Neither ruffian had stitched together a good enough coat, so they wore an open shirt with a tattered cloak. Lex held his hands out, palms up towards the two approaching ruffians. Ele hobbled a step backward away from Lex; the two ruffians who were moving forward smiled. The leader also took a step forward, still holding his knife towards Lex. Ele wondered if they were smiling, thinking she feared them and not realizing she feared what Lex would do.

The scarred ruffian got to Lex first and swiftly grabbed Lex’s left hand with his free hand, with the knife in his other hand he pointed towards Lex’s face in a threatening manner. Ele could feel the hairs on her arm raise, she was sure everyone else should feel it as well.

The other ruffian approached a little more slowly, and once his partner had Lex’s left hand, he moved forward and grabbed the other. Before he could sheath his dagger an arch of lightning lept from one ruffian’s dagger to the other as both shook as Lex channeled quan through them

The scarred one dropped his knife to the ground and looked like he was about to fall over, but something held him upright. Lex kept a hold of both men’s hands as they slumped over but remained standing. Tiny sparks crawled on the wet ground and on off parts of the ruffians for a second longer. The sparks disappeared, and both ruffians fell completely to the ground. Their hands were black and smoldering when Lex let go of them—neither moved.

“Get them!” the leader shouted to the remaining ruffians. As the other members moved towards Ele’s group, the leader stood up from kneeling and backed up a step. Soon, the leader was no longer in sight, and the rain covered up the sound of him fleeing. The other ruffians seemed to pause after a step when they realized they were left behind. They quickly scattered in the darkness, leaving Ele, Lex, Konrade, and Gerard alone in the street again. Ele looked around on the ground and once she realized the leader had picked up the money pouches they had thrown to the ground.

“Faex, there goes what little coin I had left,” Ele signed as she hobbled towards Lex. “Will they…?” She asked as she glanced at the two bodies on the ground, her wide eyes and the way she stopped talking as she knew the answer already.

“We need to get moving. If they warn anyone, we will be found out soon,” Lex stated, then pulled his hood back over his head and started towards the docks. After a few steps, he turned and looked at Ele to make sure she could follow along. Konrade and Gerard were already moving after stopping and picking up the knives the two ruffians had been using. The rain provided cover indiscriminately for everyone fleeing the scene of a crime.