Lance turns to her sword-sworn. Her eyebrows tighten as she witnesses the cleaned wounds and how horrifying they are because the flesh was ripped rather than cut.
Yvonne was lucky Wraith didn't use anything more lethal. I take hold of my fiancee's hand and she squeezes mine as we wait for the two healers to finish their work.
My kitten's hand is shaking. She is unsteady, furious and afraid. It hurts us to feel her so mentally weakened but we understand better than most how difficult it can be to slaughter humans.
“Yvonne!” Rowland's voice erupts as he rushes up to the attic.
My best friend opens her eyes and looks around with an unfocused gaze. He runs to her and drops to his knees by her side to grab her hand. Rowland pulls it up to his cheek while she makes a weak smile.
Uhla and the other healer exchange a look. They get up and move away to give them space. Their decision is a good sign for her health since I know the ex-Semplar is like a dog with a bone towards her patients if they need care.
“Do you know where Roskal is?” I ask Leomi.
“Yes.” She responds simply and emotionlessly. “How did Wraith escape you?” She questions.
“I'm not sure, I stuck him against a wall but he slipped through it.” I reply, gritting my teeth in anger.
“Show me.” Lance requests.
I shrug, thinking Wraith probably used a construct since Nobles have proven to be the most slippery things. I lead her to the room and prepare to tell her where Wraith was but Leomi goes straight to the spot I blew open without needing an explanation.
She places her hand on one of the wooden boards and pushes. Click. The portion of the wall with a hole shifts and slides open. I sigh at this obsession for secret passages in the Empire.
“This explains why this is where he waited for me.” I note. “He always has an escape route, we'll have to plan around it.”
“Did you kill this one?” Leomi asks, turning to the dead Shade.
“No, he was a Shade. Brute, I believe.” I explain.
“They're after Wraith?” She questions.
“I don't know, he may have simply happened on him and decided to spy but found himself in a situation where he had to intervene.” I reply.
“But he's now a target, I have competition.” Leomi darkly notes.
“I could attempt to have them back off.” I offer. Personally killing Wraith isn't as important to me as seeing Leomi investing herself.
“No, it would cost you something.” Lance denies.
As I nod, Leomi drags me out of the bloody room and we make our way up to the attic. Yvonne is bandaged and in Rowland's arms. Uhla and the other healer left. She raises her gaze to us and then lowers it to our linked hands.
“Jess?” She calls out with a feeble voice. “Liz?”
“Chirp.” The jay on Leomi's shoulder perks up.
“We're here.” We reply without hesitating. Rowland's eyes grow as wide as saucers at our answer.
“Go murder these shits for me.” Yvonne utters with urgency. Leomi's grip on my hand hardens, likely hurt by the demand being made of us rather than her.
“All of them?” We question.
Yvonne nods and lets herself fall back onto a stunned Rowland's torso. I squeeze back at Lance's hand and draw her away to give the two some space to comfort each other, to talk.
“Yvonne is dead from this point on.” We tell Leomi. “Arrange something to get her out of this inn.”
“What are you going to do?” Lance asks as her sharp traits tighten in worry.
“Go on a rampage, let loose for a while.” We reply with a twisted smirk. “We're going to need your flow.” As I speak the words, I snatch two hundred out of the three-hundred-fifty portions filling her reserve. She's grown more popular back at the Izla but so have I with my fifty portions of access.
She scowls, visibly displeased by the action, but she doesn't try to take the energy back. I filter the flow through my reserve to make it my own so that I'll have the edge if she fights me for it.
“We'll also require my mask, sleeve-glove, and liangi.” I tell her.
“Not the symbiont.” Lance says.
“No, it isn't necessary.” I reply, causing her to lighten up a fraction. “I've the flow and experience to make an arm.”
“You can't do this alone. I can bring an entire regiment of Hospitaliers to bear if you give me time.” Leomi tells me.
“Can you?” I question.
“I... I'll have to get Grace's permission.” She admits unwillingly.
“And you'll then give up.” I reproach despite not believing a word of the accusation.
“I...” Lance trails off with a shocked expression at my doubt, it soon turns to panic.
“Stop, I know you mean it but this is what happens when you act behind my back Leomi.” I flatly tell her. She grimaces.
“I shouldn't have taken your flow, or acted so insensitively.” She acknowledges, likely because her defenses are down with the sword-sworn she relies on so much heavily injured. “I'm feeling... captive. I have too many enemies looking to take advantage of any of my mistakes, and Roskal is the least of them in a way because she is openly opposing me.”
“The meeting?” I ask.
“It was meant to delay me to kill Yvonne.” Leomi utters with a dark expression. “Unfortunately for them, I agreed to it because I had proof of their wrongdoing but it never got to negotiating. They'll be blindsided when I destroy their house.” She utters with a vicious expression. “I don't care that they likely didn't know what the plot was.”
“Do you...” I start.
“I think I finally understand so many things.” She cuts me off with a sad expression. “I get why you could hate it so much to be restricted because I've been stuck for weeks. Turns out I congratulated myself for my restrained use of power but kept abusing it with you while refusing to use it against those who deserve to be put down.”
“Do you have the resolve to end it all?” I question.
“I, I...” She suddenly pauses and tears form in the corner of her eyes. She grabs hold of me. She squeezes me tight despite the hard steel of my cuirass pressing on her chest. “I feel stuck in quicksand, my jay.” She whispers.
“Leomi.” I call to her but she doesn't seem to hear.
“I can't act without drawing far more enemies than I can handle. I wish I could be as free as you, I'm jealous in truth, but lives weigh on my shoulders that I took responsibility for and cannot betray.” She mutters. “Mother wouldn't.”
“Vikiana would not remain idle either.” I gently remind her, which seems to tear Leomi from her daze.
“Is this why she didn't ask me?” She questions.
“Partly.” I reply with a sigh as this likely relates to both her sword-sworn and her mother. “Yvonne is angry, was likely terrified. She needs to feel like something will be done and we're the most expedient solution. Vikiana... didn't want to involve you with a killer that could get to her.” My kitten makes a painful smile and nods.
“What do you think Mother would do?” Leomi questions with joined eyebrows. “I've tried tracking down Wraith but he's far more elusive than you.”
“It isn't about what she would do but what you will.” I correct my love, ecstatic that she's finally breaking out of her shell. “You're smart, you can figure it out if you stop focusing on the reasons why you can't act.”
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Leomi pushes me away and looks into my eyes. This leads to us losing ourselves in her silver irises and pushing out with our toes for a kiss. She leans down and welcomes us with her soft pulpy lips.
“You're impressively calm about this.” My kitten notes as we separate.
“I have to be.” I reluctantly admit because it doesn't sit well with us but we know we'll be able to unleash our wrath soon. “Wraith played us from Izla Meria, we had all the pieces but never figured out his target which almost cost us Yvonne.”
“So you want to play it as if his plot worked.” She notes, returning to her usual confidence and wit. “Smart, it'll buy us time before he feels he needs to act again.”
“You need to keep the circle of those who know small and isolate the unknowns for a time.” I tell her.
“They were naive to think this would break us.” Leomi notes.
“Were they?” I question. “If it succeeded...” I trail off. “If it kept happening to those closest to us while they arranged it so that our duties made us unavailable to stop them, we would have been blaming each other. Besides, I'm relatively certain, now that you've explained what the origin of the plot was, that Cenwalh knows who I am and ordered action only be taken when I was present in Meria.”
“I, yes.” Leomi acknowledges with a dark expression. “What will you be doing? Liz? Jess?” She asks.
We consider whether to answer for a moment but decide to share as this event woke Leomi up from her grief-stricken mood. Our fights feel meaningless now that we're on the same page on what must be done despite other arguments between us being far from resolved.
“I'll be kicking the hornet's nest while my sister analyses their weak-points and crafts a plan to end Wraith.” Liz answers. “But first, there is someone we need to get to safety.” I add because my sister is too embarrassed to speak to Lance about it.
“Who?” Leomi questions with a slight frown. “That woman took residence in the Hospitalier barracks.”
“Idali?” I probe. She nods. I awkwardly shift my weight. “I meant Teva. My, our, um, ex.”
“Teva.” Lance repeats with a cold voice. “The girl you...” She trails off, demonstrating uncharacteristic shyness about what I did.
“Yes.” I admit, feeling my cheeks grow warmer. “We owe her a lot.”
“I owe her your life.” My love corrects. “I'm coming.”
“No, that's not a good idea.” I hurriedly protest because Teva was there for the worst of it after we broke up so she doesn't have a high opinion of Leomi, or Nobles in general.
“You need a safe place to leave her, the Hospitalier barracks is the only place that qualifies right now.” Lance utters with a flat tone. “And then we need to go recover your gear so this isn't negotiable.”
“Alright but you're going to be nice.” I assert.
“As can be.” Leomi replies unreliably.
I shake my head and pull her along to return to Yvonne who we find sleeping in Rowland's arms with a tormented expression. Uhla is there holding a greenish concoction while the healer is waiting to the side.
“This should help replenish her blood supply, he'll give it to her when she wakes up.” Uhla tells us but mostly me.
“I trust you on this.” I directly tell her. “But I will not over this.” I continue. “Yvonne is to be considered dead from this point on, you aren't to speak a word of the circumstances to anyone even if they know more than you.” I direct them.
“We can't stay here, wake her up and make her drink this. Then, wrap a blanket around her and take her to the barracks.” Leomi orders. “Do not let even the imperial guard stop you and refuse them entrance until I return.”
“That won't sit well with them, they'll call on the Order if we do this.” The healer notes.
“Then remind them who killed Mother and who she was.” Leomi utters with a cold voice. “Tell them the Emperor himself could not make me budge this day.”
“...” The temperature in the rooms drops. “Very well.” The man acknowledges.
I don't like this but it is unavoidable as connections are almost everything in the Empire and Yvonne's safety matters more than my feelings. I give one last look to my best friend and feel my rage build. Leomi pulls on my hand and leads me away.
“We'll get them all, my jay.” She says soothingly as we make our way downstairs.
“Slaughter, mayhem, and murder.” I utter.
“E.Vil will act, Jessica Freepath will not take part in a massacre.” She insists.
“Who was that man?” I ask.
“Someone I trust, he is a Noble that joined the Order as an Alemplar but ultimately retired to free himself and fulfill his calling, Mother trusted him.” Leomi responds.
I squint in suspicion but ultimately decide not to challenge her as Yvonne's safety is as important to her as it is to me. I trust Leomi in most things so I squeeze her hand and lead her out of the inn.
We spot many imperial patrols as we make our way out of the area but manage to evade them. They seem to be searching for something but don't appear to have a precise idea of where to look or what happened.
They evidently know there is a problem but that's it. It makes it much easier for us to leave but Leomi's Hospitaliers won't have the same ease. I look up to her but she makes a reassuring smile.
“I'll be able to deal with it, don't worry.” She tells me.
As we walk hand in hand through Kruzser, many people recognize us but especially me. I thought it would make Leomi jealous but I notice she's repressing a small smile under the dark expression we chose to affect which tells me she's taking a lot of pride in this.
“You're actually enjoying this.” I grumble.
“You have no idea how much I love getting to show you off.” She replies with pride and joy to her voice. “You're my fiancee.”
I repress a smile at this response. It makes me feel much better about the attention since one of us is enjoying it but this does confirm that someone intervened because there is no possible way the imperial guard wouldn't want to ask me questions after I flew through Kruzser.
That's why I'm not surprised in the least when I find a girl of Aisha's height but with more bodyweight waiting in front of the Howling Sailor. She's a brunette with brown hair and as unremarkable as can be. I take the lead to drag Leomi up to her.
“Aisha.” I greet.
“You made a bit of a commotion, Jess.” She replies.
Her tone is light and a smile appears on her fake face. I can't tell what's going on under the illusion anymore but I'm quite certain she's peeved to have been seen through so easily.
“You.” Leomi utters flatly.
“Me.” Aisha responds in kind.
“Brute's dead.” I cut in to directly break the news. “Wraith killed him.”
“Wraith? Roskal's dog?” Aisha asks with a sharp tone. I can tell her shock from the fact her illusion freezes.
“You didn't know?” I question.
“You're my mission, not them.” She responds snappily. “What happened?”
I throw Leomi a glance and she makes a grimace but lets me handle it. I tell Aisha everything that happened, including the trick with Yvonne because I have no choice after she saw the two of us up close. It will be much easier to keep the secret if she knows the detail of it.
“I need to report this, I can guarantee there will be no leaks.” She tells me.
“Do what you have to but the same conditions as ever apply, I hold my end for as long as you hold yours. If you break the deal, I will hunt you down.” I spell it out once more.
“How is Cecil?” She returns with a slight smile on her fake face that likely serves to conceal her worry and concern.
“Well, the work seems to give her wings.” I reply.
“The woman grew more tortuous as the days went by.” Leomi complains.
“That's my boss.” Aisha jokingly remarks. “What are your plans?”
“I won't be telling you that, Spy.” I flatly tell her. “But you can guess where this is headed.”
“The Order and Imperial guard will be all over this now, Jessica.” Aisha warns me. “Not to mention my department.”
“Then tell them to back off, I'll go through them if they get in my way.” Liz throws out with a sharp voice.
“Listen, you can have revenge on this but you can't start a massacre in Kruzser.” The Shade tells me with a tense voice. “Roskal will pay if she's behind this, trust me.”
“Your 'if' leads me to doubt these words.” Leomi coldly intervenes.
“Our Emperor is going to watch this very closely, if you start a war in the capital without hard proof then he will condemn all sides.” She warns.
“A war? Them? Against me?” Liz explodes in uncontrollable laughter. “This will be no war, not even a skirmish. No, it'll be a massacre from which cautionary tales will arise.”
“Jessica, this isn't a joke. If Brute died after...” She trails off to throw a glance at Leomi. “There will be repercussions you do not want to find yourself in the middle of.”
“Perhaps it is the Emperor who shall regret finding himself between us and our revenge.” We return, causing Aisha to freeze and Leomi to startle. “Go and tell him.”
“You support this?” Aisha asks my fiancee, apparently mistaking my use of the plural to include Leomi.
“I do, her word is mine on this.” Lance responds without a shred of hesitation, surprising me.
Aisha wiggles on the spot, uncomfortable and dissatisfied about my decision without even mentioning my irreverence. She nods in the end to depart without another word, clearly offended by my casual treatment of her dear Emperor.
“She's not happy, Jess, what if she turns on you?” Leomi asks.
“She'll do what he tells her to.” I dismiss. “And he won't take action that'll disappoint the population.”
“The crux of the matter is the proof, then.” She concludes. “What if there is none to find?”
“I'll find those in the know and make them talk if necessary.” I coldly affirm.
“Wraith and Roskal must die.” Leomi affirms.
“Of course.” I acknowledge.
“Then we're in this together, to the end.” She utters with steel in her eyes.