Chapter 147

Riley wasn't sure what a schedule meant anymore.

So much in her life had been irregular as of late, meal times, rest times, the day to day life of a busy Ranger often allowed for none of those things.

Life came as she found it and went just as fast, and it had all led her here.

"Is this what it's like for my feral cousins?" She yawned, her consciousness already dimming and, with it, her thoughts wandering.

Life was sudden, brief and often brutal for them too, and as she drifted, some far off half remembered recollection of some strange subconscious memory floated to the surface, one of running and motion, muted colors, and then, a sudden stop followed by blackness.

Whole, dark, and complete, Riley descended down with the distant recollection, plunging into the subconscious recesses of her mind as sleep finally claimed her, and with it, her perception of time skipped.

A series of loud bangs erupting from somewhere up the back stairs fished her rudely from the inky well of desperately needed rest.

"What... What's that?" Her head startled up as she scanned around, and then she heard the unmistakable sound of Sabine's bootsteps, trodding across the stone floor of their basement hideout, which was almost enough to send her back down.

Her head began to dip, as she sat her muzzle down back on the softer that she was used to bed, and with Tobias at her side, his warmth and scent an ever present comfort, she felt herself drop like stone, until a voice robbed her of her peace.

"Tobias! You've got to let me see Tobias right now!" There was another time skip, but this one was brief. Sleep had almost caught before slipping a gear.

"Justinian? That's Justinian! Tobias!" Using her hindpaw, she drummed her Sorcerer awake, kicking him in the ribs.

He snorted and shot up with a start, his black blade appearing in his hand.

"What? What is it? Are we raided?"

"Justinian is up the stairs. It sounds bad!" Riley raised a forepaw to point as best she could.

"What's this about?" Sabine's voice echoed down. "You're covered in blood, and it's the middle of the day! Did anyone see you?" She asked in rapid fire, her voice worried.

"Soldiers... at his house... The Guard... The King!" His words pulled Tobias to his feet like a magnet as the conversation trickled down.

"Let me get you down the stairs. I'm sure they're both up by now," Sabine said, her voice turning gentle as the rest began to stir.

"Trouble?" Cid poked his head out.

"I think so. We've a wounded friendly," Sabine sounded back, her words punctuated by the scuffling of someone limping along down the steps.

As if a bell had been rung, all assembled in the main area, waiting for trouble. Without word or prompting, Eastmund positioned himself at the back stair and Caedmon at the front, moving up with stealthy grace and his dagger out, crouching just below the door.

The second Sabine passed them by, Eastmund made his way up past them, helping him towards a chair, as Cid emerged with sword drawn.

"Justinian!" Tobias cried, having finally gotten a good look at his best friend, dashing up to help Sabine.

Riley nodded to Tobias while a rising anger crackled like a fire between them, fed by the dry wood of concern.

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"Oh God, get him in a chair, and I'll heal him!" Riley said.

"That's trouble," Cid observed, grappling with Captain Obvious for the title.

Two knocks in rhythmic cadence followed a moment later at the front; Caedmon answered with two knocks.

Cid nodded gravely, "We're as secured and in position as we can be."

Justinian's blood left a trail as they helped him across the room; his left eye was swollen closed, and one arm was clearly broken. His clothes were tattered and streaked a dull brown. His leather jerkin was torn and hanging off him.

He moved with a staggered, limping gait, dragging his right foot. The only

thing whole about him was a familiar, threadbare cloak that covered and obviously had hidden him from sight as he made his way through the city.

"You should see the other guy." Justinian, in spite of his pain and obvious injuries, smiled and chuckled to himself as Sabine eased him down.

"What happened? That's my Granda's travel cloak?" Tobias pressed.

"He already needed another one, thanks to you. Now I've an excuse to make him one," Justinian grinned again, then winced, "Before we get to the healing, you have to know... They came for Darius and, I think Harold. I did what I could..."

"They took my family?" Tobias' face went pale.

"I tried to stop them... but I'm not a fighter like you. Still, I gave as good as I got before they pounded me into the dirt," He coughed and looked for a place to spit before choosing a spot on the floor. "Sorry, but I'm all messed up."

"They didn't take you, though, or his Ma or Da?" Caedmon looked suspiciously at Justinian.

"I don't know why. I just know they kicked the hell out of me and that Cedric and Gwendolyn were tending to me when I woke and left to get help," Justinian winced from the pain.

"It's a threat," Sabine growled, "They start with his Grandfather..."

"And come for the rest if I don't show. He wants me to charge in. They're baiting us," Tobias snarled.

"When I got the news about the King, and Chadrick to boot, I made my way out of the castle through the tunnels. I promised you I'd look after them," Justinian coughed, and went suddenly paler then he had been.

Tobias patted his hand, "Easy, start at the top. Why not let Riley try to heal you?

For the moment, it seemed as if his anger had abated, but Riley knew better and could feel it bubbling like Magma under an over-pressured volcano.

Riley rose on her paws, holding her paws an inverted v, prepping a cast, as Justinian held out a hand towards her.

"I don't want to pass out! There's things you need to know! The King of Ashes is dead; the heir apparent has fled, but they haven't let that out. That's when I knew I had to run. Chadrick has the castle through the Challenges, as he was there to take command," The air in the room chilled to deep winter, as Cid looked to Sabine.

"The King is dead?" Cid's eyes were wide with shock.

"Yeah, surprised you didn't know, but the last we heard Ranger Central had fallen. Someone took out the com crystal relay in the castle during the attack, so there's all these rumors flying around. What I do know is the enemy was here, hiding amongst us. It was a fiasco, guard killing guard, noble killing noble. Even some first tiers went at each other. Things were coming apart at the seams until suddenly the attackers just broke and fled, right as Chadrick was arriving." Justinian continued.

"Ranger Central repelled the attack. We stopped the bastards cold. Did the King fall in the siege?" Cid asked as Tobias ground his teeth impatiently.

"It was your murderer, some assassin in the night. He was found desiccated, consumed, along with his guards, before everything went to shit. It made the rounds amongst the servants, and I just barely heard and ran before they locked everything down and the presumptive heir fled... I don't know if they followed me or if they had orders, but this is bad, man... It's really bad because an hour after I arrived, the soldiers came through the door saying they had an arrest warrant for Darius."

"They might be coming here next," Caedmon suggested from the bottom of the stairs.

"Then we have a vested interest in not being here," as if appearing from nowhere itself, each in the room turned to see the Ratcatcher leaning against the opening of the door to his current sleeping quarters.

"We should run. First, though, we need to know what happened, and he needs a healing. The guard just showed up and took Darius?" Riley prompted

"I slipped out of the castle and made way for your home. I got there by dawnrise, but the soldiers arrived about an hour later. They claimed Darius had warrants, but they took Harold without excuse, which got your Dad involved and me out of hiding."

"Are my parents alive?" Tobias asked, worry crowding in around his fear.

"Last I saw, but I don't know. They were only interested in Darius and the boy and said they were taking him to the castle." Justinian sputtered.

"Then we know where we're running too. Sabine, Cid, it's time I dealt with this prick once and for all," Tobias turned as if ready to take on the world alone.

"Hold your place, stupid boy. They aren't on us yet, and you going off halfcocked is going for the bait. You'll do no good for your Granda dead, and our mission is unchanged." Cid lectured.

"Do you have a better plan?" Tobias growled.

"All aboard the murder train. I'm ready to kill this prick." Riley replied, her own anger bubbling to the surface with Tobias.

"Then we do it smart and do it right," Sabine replied, nodding towards the both of them.