Avalon nodded her chin ever so slightly. “Okay. ”
Giving Avalon a confused look, Narra slipped back into the alley. They made their way around the block until they reached the escape ladder clinging to the side of the student building a street over. Narra helped Avalon up to the first of the rungs before pulling herself up as well. A few minutes later, they stood on the slightly sloped rooftop, sticking next to a brick chimney where they could blend into the darkness of the brick.
Avalon trembled as she carefully sat, leaning against the chimney. She splayed her hands on the shingles beneath her, her eyes wide as she stared at the alley below. Narra was sure she couldn’t see the ground at this angle, but it finally dawned on her what was happening. Avalon was afraid of heights.
“I can take you back down if this is too much,” Narra said tentatively. She hovered next to the pirate, ready to help her up and lead her back to the ladder.
Avalon shook her head. “No. I need to help my sister.”
Narra sighed. “All right.”
She sat beside Avalon, keeping a respectful distance as she pulled her hood back over her flaming head of hair.
“You’re not afraid?” Avalon asked when silence had lapsed for several long minutes.
“No.” Narra shrugged. “I find the rooftops comforting.”
Avalon laughed. “When you could fall four stories to your death at any time?”
Narra slid her hands inside her cloak and produced her grappling hook. “I use this to fly between buildings.”
Avalon paled. “That sounds awful.”
“I find it freeing.” She returned her hook to her belt, and settled her arms on her knees. For years, the rooftops of Rova City had been her sanctuary away from her father. They were the closest things to freedom she’d ever had until the day he died.
“I prefer the sea,” Avalon said. She curled her arms around her knees, hoisting them up to her chest. She looked so out of place on the rooftop.
“Why?” Narra asked, genuinely curious. She’d never had occasion to sail, though she’d been on docked boats a few times. She never enjoyed the constant sway of the ship. She preferred solid ground or the comfort of a strong air current.
Avalon smiled. “When you’re at sea, it’s like the rest of the world doesn’t matter. There’s only endless water, wind, and you. At sea, you’re in control of your ship. You guide yourself through the waters, leading it wherever you want to go.” The pirate looked wistfully at the clouded sky. “A ship at sea is far more controllable than the rest of life.”
“Hm.” Narra pondered her words.
From what she’d heard of sailing, the sea could be a very unforgiving creature, doing what it wanted seemingly at random. Yet, Avalon felt as if she could somehow control that chaos, and clearly found peace with it.
Narra’s eyebrows furrowed. It didn’t make sense to her, but she let it be.
“I must sound crazy.” Avalon chuckled. “Sorry. I’ve just always felt at home on the sea. I’ll never understand you land lovers.”
“Just because I don’t understand your feelings, doesn’t mean you’re crazy,” Narra said.
Avalon looked at her with wide eyes. When Narra didn’t continue, her face softened and she nodded solemnly before looking back at the sky.
They lapsed into silence as they waited for the fall of the sun. Once the world darkened with night, they’d make their move, and whatever it took, they’d find Avalon’s sister.
W hen night came, the street quieted, and the strange chanting of the religious zealots lessened until it disappeared completely. Narra and Avalon watched the men and women leave for the day, returning to wherever they came from, and finally clearing the back alley for their rescue mission.
Narra flashed a smile, her heartbeat quickening as she stood to inspect the hospital building. Though she’d stared at it for hours, scanning each window for signs of a woman like Avalon, she saw no one resembling the Rupan woman, only a multitude of Rovan citizens. Though they looked similar, with bronze skin and dark hair, the slight hood of Avalon’s eyes and the tight curl of her black hair marked her as Rupan.
Avalon groaned as she stood, stretching her arms over her head. “Damn, we’ve been sitting for so long.”
Narra twisted her limbs to loosen them. Avalon was right, they’d been sitting for hours, and her muscles were sore and tight from the lack of movement. But with adrenaline worming its way in through her excitement at a mission, the pain dulled, leaving her ready to race through the hospital halls once more.
Her smile dropped as she recalled the last time she’d been inside the hospital. She’d told Asher his son was dead before fleeing his pain, only to find Marina bruised in the hall. She sighed and shook her head. Her breath fogged the cold night air. She had to push all thoughts of the Kolarova family aside. She was here for Avalon and her sister, no one else.
“Let’s go,” Narra said.
Avalon nodded, and they slowly made their way back down to the alley floor. It took longer than it would have if she were alone, but now that she understood Avalon’s fear of heights, Narra gave her the extra time she needed to make it back to the ground.
“Thank the gods!” Avalon said when they reached the alley.
Narra raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t used to anyone thanking ‘gods’ instead of just ‘Srah’. She’d almost forgotten that Rupan people worshipped not one, but several deities, from a Sea Goddess to the Forest Lord, a god of nature and animal life.
“Lead the way,” Avalon said.
Narra turned towards the hospital and Avalon followed her to a back door propped open with a brick. Earlier that day, nurses and doctors alike had used the back entrance to come outside for a smoke, and she noted how they all had left the door open with a brick. Narra assumed the door would lock automatically if they didn’t.
Slipping to the end of the alley, Narra paused to peer into the shadows at the back of the building. Nothing moved in the darkness, so she motioned for Avalon to follow her to the door.
After stopping to listen for signs of life, she went inside, discovering it was actually an emergency exit from the stairwell.
“Well that worked out nicely,” Avalon commented.
“Agreed,” Narra said. She made sure the door remained propped open—not wanting any staff to think something was amiss—and led the way up the stairs, straining her ears to listen for nearby staff.
Soft mumbles drifted through the walls, and she occasionally heard the clack of heels in the hallway, but no one entered the stairwell while they were inside it.
Narra stopped on the second floor landing. During her last visit she’d learned the more luxurious quarters had been moved to the third floor, so it made sense they might keep Avalon’s sister on the second floor with the rest of the regular patients. Still, to find her they’d need to get to a nurses’ station and grab her file, just like when she’d searched for Asher what felt like eons ago.
“Is this where you go in alone and I wait for your gallant return?” Avalon whispered cheekily.
They’d already gone over the plan, which mostly involved Avalon waiting while Narra slipped around the hospital quietly. She worked far better alone.
“Yes,” Narra said, barely restraining her amused smile.
“I await your return.” Avalon flashed a nervous little grin, and Narra nodded before entering the hall.
The murmur of voices came from a room up ahead, and Narra preceded quietly, heart pounding against her ribs. She had to be careful to avoid detection, or risk ruining their rescue mission, but memories of walking these same halls were filling her head.
Narra bit down hard on her lip until pain pushed the images away.
The click of heels alerted her to someone’s approach, and she slipped into a supply closet. The overwhelming scent of lye soap assaulted her nose, and Narra had to squeeze her nostrils shut to keep from sneezing or coughing on the stench.
When the heels disappeared, she peeked out to find the nurs
es’ station up ahead still clear. Narra sighed with relief and left her hiding spot, gulping in clean air as she rushed to the stack of files on the edge of the desk.
She flipped through file tabs until a name stood out and she froze.
Asher Grayson.
Was he still a patient? Or had they simply not put his file away yet? Shouldn’t his file be on the third floor anyway? Her heartbeat picked up speed, and she shook her head to push the look of anguish she remembered on his face from her mind. He’d been in the hospital for days. It was unlikely he still remained .
Continuing her search, Narra flicked through pages until she found the name of Avalon’s sister: Caroline Killian.
Narra plucked the folder from the pile and leafed through the pages until she found her room number. Two thirty-one. She quickly replaced the file and returned to the stairwell without encountering any more nurses.
“Finally!” Avalon said when she closed the door behind her.
“I was hardly gone five minutes,” Narra said, her tone flat.
“Five minutes too long.” Avalon crossed her arms. “I heard talking outside the door, and I thought you might have been caught.”
Narra rolled her eyes. “Who do you think I am?”
Irritation flashed through her. She wasn’t just any ordinary thief. She was Commander Rheka, and no nurse was about to catch her that easily.
“Forget it,” Avalon said. “Did you find her?”
Narra nodded. “Room two thirty-one. It should be a hall over.”
“All right, what are we waiting for?”
Narra listened at the door before leading the way back into the hall. They skirted a few spare trolleys and carts getting over to the next hallway, but only heard the faint click of heels somewhere far away.
“Damn, this is almost too easy,” Avalon whispered.
“Shhh,” Narra hissed.
Avalon shut up, and a few moments later they found the room they were looking for. Narra stopped outside of it, taking a moment to listen at the door. She heard nothing but faint breathing beyond the thick wooden surface.
“Stay quiet,” Narra said, turning to meet Avalon’s impatient look. “Your reunion can wait until we’re outside.”
“I understand,” Avalon said.
Narra raised her eyebrows and inspected Avalon’s face to make sure she really did. When Avalon gave her an exasperated sigh and motioned Narra in first, she let it go and gently eased the door open.
The thief slipped inside, her heart pounding in her ears as she inspected the small room with the curtain drawn around the bed. No paintings decorated the sparse pale blue walls, and no small tables held flowers. It was just how she remembered the lesser quality rooms.
Avalon followed and shut the door with a soft click. Once they were left in silence, Narra straightened and went to the curtain.
“Cari?” Avalon whispered.
Narra gripped the thick fabric of the curtain and yanked it aside.
Both of their gasps filled the quiet left by the grind of the curtain. At the back wall of the room, Asher stood with a tiny woman held to his chest, a scalpel pressed against her throat. Dark circles surrounded his desperate eyes, and his fist shook around the knife.
Narra ripped a dagger from her hip before she realized what she was doing.
“Stop!” Asher snapped. “Put your weapon down or she dies.”
Narra’s heart raced as she looked between Caroline and Avalon. The pirate’s younger sister was the spitting image of her, only younger and slimmer, with rounder cheeks, short, frizzy hair, and hazel eyes.
“Who the hell are you?” Avalon whisper-yelled. At least she was remembering to keep quiet. Apparently Avalon didn’t recognize Asher in his hospital gown and mussed hair. Narra couldn’t blame her. He looked like a totally different person.
Asher didn’t even glance at Avalon. His dark eyes remained locked on Narra. He ground his teeth and his knuckles went white as he gripped his weapon hard.
“Put it down,” Asher insisted.
Narra growled before she could help it. She narrowed her eyes. “You’re threatening little girls now, Asher?”
He winced, and his grip on the knife loosened, but he didn’t release Caroline. “Put the dagger away,” he said gruffly.
Avalon looked between them. “Do what he says!”
Narra reluctantly returned her dagger to her belt, and held up her hands so he could see she wasn’t hiding anything. Though she was still decorated in knives, a short sword, and her pistol, she didn’t have any of them in hand—yet .
“What do you want?” Narra said, keeping her voice neutral and unwavering.
“You killed my son,” Asher said. His voice trembled, as did the rest of him. His eyes watered, already bloodshot. It had clearly been days since he’d shaved or showered, and the hurt look on his face nearly broke Narra’s heart.
She’d done this to him. She’d drove him to it. But how did he even know they were here?
“This has nothing to do with her.” Narra nodded at Caroline. “Let her go.”
Asher shook his head. “This is who you’re here for, right? The prophet?”
Narra scoffed. “She isn’t a prophet. She was on the same drug you fed me at the Dollhouse.” Avalon shot her a startled look, but Narra didn’t dare take her eyes off the general.
“Whoever she is, you’re here for her,” Asher said with more certainty this time.
“Yes,” Avalon said quickly. “Let her go.”
“How did you even know we were here?” Narra asked, unable to help herself.
“I saw you on the roof of the student building,” Asher rumbled. “I figured there had to be a connection between your sudden reappearance, and the prophet. When I saw the pirate, I was certain.” He indicated Avalon with a quick nod of his head. “If you were just here for me, you wouldn’t have been camped out on a roof all day.”
Narra barely held back a groan. She hadn’t even seen him in one of the windows, but she should have guessed that someone might spot them. Given the distraction of the church folk outside, she hadn’t thought anyone would notice them on the opposite side of the building.
Avalon looked desperately between them both, her lips parted in surprise and confusion as she tried to figure out what was going on, and how she could get her sister out of this.
But Narra had no answers for the pirate. With the loss of his son, Asher was operating irrationally, far from the general she’d known .
“Hand over the girl,” Narra said. “You don’t need her. I’ll stay and talk.”
Asher raised an eyebrow. “Do you think I’m stupid?”
Narra bit back an annoyed groan. Asher didn’t care about Caroline. He only wanted revenge for his son. He was a wreck, and she’d caused all of this. All of this pain, all of this sorrow. Her heart clenched with guilt.
“I’ll exchange myself for her,” Narra surprised herself by saying. “I’ll take off my weapons and stay.” She splayed her hands in the air in surrender. “Just let her go.”
Whatever he’d been through, Narra knew she could still handle him, weaponless or not. She’d outfoxed and outfought him once before, and she could do it again.
Asher’s eyebrows furrowed as he considered this. After a long moment he finally nodded. “All right. But remove your weapons first. All of them.”
Narra lowered her hands and flicked her cloak over her shoulders so he could see her remove them. First, she unstrapped her harness, and stepped out of it, setting it on the bed between them. With it went a set of throwing knives, her sword, and her pistol.
“Rheka,” Avalon gasped. “What are you doing?”
“You want your sister back, right?” Narra shot Avalon a look.
Avalon ground her teeth and didn’t protest again.
Narra unstrapped the sheaths of daggers on her forearms, and removed two daggers from her thigh holster. Once they were all splayed on the bed, she spun around to show Asher she was unarmed.
Asher scanned her from head to toe, then paused to inspect her face, his eyebrows low over his eyes. He seemed to be considering something before he slowly lowered the knife from Caroline’s throat. As soon as the blade was gone, Caroline ran from his grip and fell into her sister’s arms.
“Cari!” Avalon embraced her sister, quickly pulling her toward the door. “I’m here, sis.” She stroked Caroline’s hair, and Caroline nodded against Avalon’s chest.
Seconds later, the door was open, and Avalon gave Narra one last forlorn look before she disappeared into the hall, leaving Narra to face Asher and all the guilt she held inside, alone.
L oaded silence rested between them as Asher stared her down. His eyes were dark, his face twisted with grief. Some part of her wanted to comfort him. Narra wasn’t sure when exactly she’d started feeling things like guilt, and remorse for her actions, but she felt them acutely. She hated that she was causing Asher so much pain, even if his son had deserved to die. Ezriel was still his child, and she’d taken him from Asher.
Narra bit down hard on her lip. She wanted to apologize a thousand times, to try and explain why she’d done it. He didn’t know the whole story. He didn’t know that Ezriel had murdered thirteen of her initiates before her eyes. Would he understand if she told him?
She doubted it. He was still a father, and Narra had killed his son.
“How could you?” Asher finally broke the quiet. His voice quivered, tightening the painful knot clenching around her heart.
“Asher,” she began.
His fist hit the wall, and Narra winced.
“You killed my son,” he said. His words were edged with venom. This wasn’t the man she’d met in a cell beneath the Rova City Barracks. “It was the one thing I asked you not to do.”
“Asher,” she tried again .
“Just shut up,” he snarled. “Just shut the fuck up.”
His fists trembled at his sides, and Narra had no doubt in her mind that he wanted to hit her, to unleash his fury, to get his revenge. Would Asher try to kill her? Maybe. Would she let him? No. But did she deserve it? Her chest constricted. Yes.
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