Chapter forty-three— Three Bladed
I heard the scream again. “Oh, Fates, help my soul! Get it away from me!”
I had taken my high heels off, and began to climb the wall to the roof. Queen Cecilia pestered and protested behind us, trying to convince us to stay.
“Ladies, please! You must not go up there! It could be dangerous- send the guards up! We need guards!” I heard her voice break, and even she knew that whatever was happening on the roof was not an easy fight. I saw the chandelier in my bedroom begin to tremble, and rock, and it crashed from the ceiling and scattered glass everywhere on the floor. The large crash sent guards running into my room, wide eyed at the destruction. The ceiling still rumbled, and I heard the familiar roar of the wolf.
“It just won’t leave us alone, will it?” Sophia screeched, frustrated. Pushing her way past me by climbing up a rose vine decoration, I saw her slip onto the roof, and into the darkness. Pulling myself up, I crawled up onto the roof, Abby and Nikki right behind me.
The scene shocked me. Two figures were dancing around the large black beast, its sight more annoying than it’s ever been. The wolf should be killed and stay dead, but we didn’t know how to kill it.
One of the figures I could tell was Sophia, even in the graceful blur as she tried to kill the wolf. Her hair snapped around the wind like whips, and she used her bow and arrow every other five seconds, somehow always having enough bows of light in her hands.
The other person was slower, and clumpy next to Sophia’s exquisite grace. She wore a black robe, black cape, and a black hood. When the wolf lunged at her, she screamed in fright. It was easy to tell that this person was a coward.
“Every-“Sophia lunged with her knife. “Time I kill it-“the knife made contact with the wolf, “It-comes- back!” Blood sprayed and the wolf burned up, its throat pulsing blood. I wished it would stay dead.
Sophia was panting, frustrated. Nikki pat her back, but Sophia looked on the verge to explode. I’ve never seen her so pissed off. She must be tired of being bounty hunted by the wolf.
I heard moans and cries on my right, and noticed the girl who was attacked. Her cloak had been removed, and I could see her face clear as day.
And what I saw made my eyes go as wide as stars. “Its you!” I gasped. “You mangy little leach!”
She smiled her little innocent smile, but her eyes showed nonetheless. Her bouncy dark curls were now frizzed and messy, and she had blood pulsing out of her chest and a large part of her leg. However, she was smiling as though she could barely contain a laugh. “I know all about you, Mary. I know everything.”
“Guards! Arrest her, and bring her to the infirmary!” I heard the Queen shout, and all a sudden there were a dozen guards around Rachel. She allowed herself to be carried, ready to be healed and questioned.
A crowd of guards pushed us downstairs, and assembled outside of the bedroom. We were forced to stay inside of my room as Rachel and the Guards left, hollering and giving directions.
In my bedroom, Xena was flying around rapidly, squawking and screeching. The Queen glared at my pet, her mouth wavering on the verge to tell it to shut up. Swiftly, she picked up her skirts and left, following the crowd of Guards and the killer.
“Why would she do this?” I exclaimed, asking nobody in particular. “She was part of the Enforcement. Who could kill people so senselessly?”
“Besides your father? I don’t know.” Sophia grimaced. Nikki and Abby were sitting by the fire, talking about the recent events. The Queen had gone with the guards, and we were now alone once again. I suppose that Queen Cecilia would come back; we couldn’t just stay here after the incident that had tragically occurred.
“No,” I disagreed. “He may be heartless and cruel, but the only thing senseless about him is his hate. When he kills, he does it for a reason.”
“As horrid as that sounds.” Nikki spoke up, “One simple possibility could be that Rachel Ice was working for Malistaire.”
The room was silent. I swallowed, realizing that my throat was quite parched. “I’d much rather prefer that we don’t have traitors in our midst, if you know what I mean.”
“We’d all prefer that.” Abby sighed. “But I never see her working around here; have you noticed that she is always gone?”
“Your right.” I frowned. “I don’t remember seeing her at any cases, or any labs, or… Anything.”
“This is strange.” Sophia spoke slowly, her eyes lost in a distant thought. “I’ve never seen her on the rooftops, either… I thought that it was the wolf killing those people.”
Xena squawked, and flew out the window. I stared at the window glumly.
“Mary, your pet just flew out the window.” Abby echoed the thoughts in my mind.
“She’ll come back. She always does.”
“Well, what do we do now? We can’t just sit here.” Nikki slumped over, and leaned on her elbow on the cushioned chair.
An idea sprung up in my mind. “I need to search her rooms, along with her files and any documents that include her name in it. I need this as soon as possible. Where is the Queen?”
“I don’t know… She left somewhere.” Nikki replied curiously. “Whats the idea?”
“You’ll all soon find out.” I reassured. “But this cannot wait.”
“I believe there is a guard outside the door.” Sophia improvised. “He or she could show us where her rooms are.”
I nodded. “Would any of you be able to search her files?”
“I will.” Nikki agreed.
“I know where the files are, anyways.” Abby decided, pairing up with Nikki. “The Hall of History is just near the potion rooms.”
“Okay. Sophia, you can come with me.” I declared, now walking outside in a rush. I avoided the glass and broken wax from the chandelier on the floor, and opened the door. Indeed, there was a guard outside. I could not understand how Sophia had known, but he looked honest enough. However, he wore a helmet that covered his face. I did not know who this man was, but his height and strong form made him look familiar
“Excuse me, sir?” Sophia smiled sweetly, and her eyes turned into an irresistible puppy dog stare. The guard lifted his head slightly, and Nikki and Abby rushed out of the room. I stared as they walked out of my vision. Abby and Nikki had looked determined; I hope they stay that way until they find what I’m looking for. Sophia spoke up charismatically. “We must search Ms. Ice’s room for evidence. Could you generously show us her rooms, so we can figure out why she did these horrendous crimes..?”
“And why should I trust you enough to believe that you shall not hide the evidence, instead of record it as you say?” The voice was so familiar… I felt a slight pang of anger, but I couldn’t understand why. Did this voice bring back a memory? It was so rich and creamy… Like chocolate.
Sophia was at a lost for words. She was not that good at acting like a giggly schoolgirl.
However, for me, I remember those girls that Richard used to hang out with. Tara, Grace, and whats her name… Alas, I forget.
If I could remember what they acted like, besides their senseless cruelty, perhaps that would work. They did act like players.
I stepped forward with grace, eying him like a cat. I saw him shift slightly. Running a hand down his armor, I spoke up deep and sexy, trying to make my voice not crack. “Well, a tough man like you should trust two sweet girls like us, right? What harm could we do…?”
I felt the boy move backwards slightly, and I frowned, confused. I’ve not met one boy in Marleybone who hasn’t stared at me with hate, fright, or worse… Desire. The beauty I have is not truly mine… It’s the Angel in me. However, of course a male wouldn’t see that.
If I had done this to any boy, he would have not stepped backwards. This boy is a strange one… Perhaps a diamond in the rough.
I noticed Sophia eying something. Shifting my eyes to where she was staring, I noticed a hilt of a sword poking out of his armor. The hilt was dark and heavy looking, with some kind of unique carvings on it. I noticed a lion drawing upon it; perhaps that was his family symbol. I wondered why Sophia was uneasy… All guards had weapons. I’ve seen them with axes and whips and daggers. Hell, they would use a cannon if they could carry that in their armored pocket.
Tracing a pale finger around the carvings on his armor, I smiled mischievously. “Come on, you can’t resist helping two poor girls, can you?”
The guard took my wrist with a firm grip, and put it by my side. “That’s the thing, Ms. Ravengem.” By the Fates, his voice’s identity was just on the top of my tongue. It was so strong and serious and… Irresistible. “You’re no little girl, anymore. Killing monster wolves is no friendly sport.”
“I…” I frowned. It’s hard acting cute and harmless when I’ve killed things in front of people.
“What about me, boy?” Sophia grinned, showing moon white teeth. Her rosy lips and raven black hair would usually make men fall, and yet this boy saw no interest in her.
“Follow me,” The boy sighed and spoke curtly. “Both of you, and quick.”
I’m not sure if it was our bewitching charms or Sophia that did the trick, but before I knew it we were walking down corridors, and jogging up many flights of stairs. I was wiping off a bead of sweat with my hand when the boy led us to a large brass door.
There was a name tag, clear as day and different from the other doors, that just stated: ICE.
“I will have to assist you while you are inside.” The boy stated curtly. “To make sure you are not traitors.”
I rolled my eyes. There was nothing we could do to convince him otherwise, so he unlocked the door, and we walked inside cautiously.
The floors were white and cold granite, and the walls were all black. The couches were black, the rugs, and the canopy bed were all ebony black. There was a fireplace, but it looked like it never had been used. There were no pictures, no memories, nothing whatsoever to show that Rachel had a life before the Enforcement. There are two dressers and one very large desk, with few papers stacked up.
The Guard stood by the door, and watched as Sophia and I searched. Sophia nudged up close to me, and whispered in my ear. “What exactly are we looking for, Mary?”
“A weapon.” I whispered back. “Anything at all.”
“I’m quite sure that Rachel wouldn’t keep an evident weapon in her rooms.” Sophia replied quietly.
“That’s the thing.” I hissed back. “She acts smart, but she is dumb as a pole.”
I checked her desk and around the bed while Sophia searched in the dresser and her closet. Meanwhile, I felt somebody watching me. Every once and a while I would turn my head, and I would almost catch a glimpse of the boy staring my way. It was too quick to see, though.
The papers on Rachel’s desk were nothing. Literally, they had no words on them. They were just stacked there with a bottle of ink next to them.
I took out some potions that Abby had made for me earlier in our free time, and sprinkled the potion in the blue vial on the parchments. The potion was for decoding words, in case they were magically invisible; unfortunately, nothing was bewitched.
I searched her desk drawers, and they were all empty. Not even an extra quill or paper or anything. Stepping back, I was strongly confused. Glancing at Sophia, I realized she was having the same problem.
I took a step her way, and suddenly something creaked. Taking my foot off the granite floor, and stepped on it again. The loud noise came from the floor, as though it was wood. However, it was clearly stone. Looking up, Sophia was staring my way in interest. “You might want to come over here, Sophia. Something isn’t right.”
I heard the Guard shift, as though he was to walk over here, but Sophia was the one who knelt beside me to study the floor.
I fingered the granite flooring. “It looks like… Sketchings.”
“It’s a circle.” Sophia pointed out. She took out her knife, and pressed it against her mouth. Quickly, she whispered an incantation. The knife suddenly glowed red, white hot, and she traced a line of which I could see now. There was indeed a circular shape on the ground, and drawing it out with a white hot knife just made it easier to see.
Putting my hand on the granite- careful not to touch the hot edges- I whispered a spell that I had learned from the Order of the Fang. It made my hand magnetic to anything, and the piece of granite came out of the floor when I lifted my hand.
I heard metal against metal, and realized that the boy was now kneeling next to me. I glanced at him, and I thought I saw a glimmer of his eyes through his helmet.
“Mary.” Sophia exclaimed with a shrill anxiety in her voice. “I think we found our true evidence.”
Staring down, I gasped. Putting on gloves that I have used in the Laboratory, I picked up the weapon.
The light from the candles made the black weapon shimmer blue. It was a sword, but with three monstrously large blades. Studying the blades, they were razor sharp… And the exact blade that could have killed the people on the rooftops.
Sophia had put her gloves on. Putting the blades near her nose, she sniffed and scowled. “These blades are enchanted. I think they are the reason that those people were on the rooftop in the first place; it attracts things.”
The Guard stood up. “I knew it, but nobody believed me!”
I lifted my head, and I would have made eye contact if I could see his eyes. “You knew what?”
“About Rachel. The Queen should have damn well listened to me, considering my status. But no, Rachel Ice was one of her favorites.” “Who are you..?” I asked slowly, turning my head. Sophia and I stared at him in curiosity.
He took off his helmet, revealing charming sky blue eyes and thick dark hair. He smirked when he saw the look on my face.
“Oh-“I gagged. “I flirted with you.”
“So do many other girls.” Caspian chuckled. “I was sure you recognized me.”
“In your dreams.” I retorted.
“I don’t dream.”
“You cocky bastard.” I replied.
“Well, I’m sure that we’re all very happy for this great reunion.” Sophia exclaimed sarcastically. “But we have to show this to the Queen so she can truly lock up Rachel with proof, and we can continue on our search. Nikki and Abby ought to have found something by now.”
“Yes, we did.” Nikki and Abby stood at the doorway. I didn’t ask on how they found Rachel’s rooms, or why they had a scared look on their face. “And it’s something neither of you are going to want to know, especially since it got past the Enforcement.”
“What is it?” I asked with slight dread.
Nikki dropped a packet of paper on the floor by my feet. “Its better if you see for yourself.”
