A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 27: Our pause (Part 1)

It was a tight fit and at times I feared Pina would get stuck. The bird however managed to push her way through and remain quiet. It was good that she could read the mood. From what I could tell we had headed south from where we landed and then curved east before heading west. The slums were to the south east and over the river. Taylor's suggestion was spot on as all the guards we spotted rushed in the direction. Luckily or really thanks to Taylor's experience with the City she navigated past the patrols, using their movements against them.

A sting of mana fluctuated through my chest. At the same time Ardent and Caius pushed their hands together. Their barrier formed just as a purple light swept over the city sky, shining over even the darkest ally.

Caius huffed, "She's not holding back."

"More like they're ordering her to," I whispered annoyed. "The Empire won't care if she wastes her mana."

"That may be so but at this rate it's only a matter of time," Ardent frowned. "Taylor are we close?"

"Yes," she stepped lightly into an empty alley and began to rapidly tap the stones on the wall of the nearby warehouse. Her expression became smug as she found whatever she was looking for. The stone pulled loose revealing a small bag, inside of which was a key. "This way." Her steps were quick as we skirted the road and to the back of the large warehouse. She once again began to feel the wall and finding a small hole inserted the key.

With a satisfying click the key merged into place and turned to reveal a small door barely large enough to fit Pina inside. We entered without being told to. It was a reasonably sized backroom hidden within the warehouse. From how it looked, it had been built to blend in as if it didn't exist. Inside were several sealed boxes, a single bed and a table.

"I used this place as a hideout whenever I built up too much heat," Taylor took off her coat calmly, relaxed and used to the space. "The walls are thick and the fact my things haven't been stolen means it hasn't been found yet."

"What are these?" Marley asked innocently while opening a box.

"Well I say my things but technically they're someone else's," she smirked.

Ronalt shook his head, "I don't even want to know."

"Are you sure? I've got some pretty exciting stories and we're not going anywhere soon" Taylor purposefully sat on one of the boxes and took out a golden dagger, pointing it towards him.

"No, what I want to know is why he's hear," Ronalt gestured towards Caius. "You five have a lot of explaining to do." Their eyes turned towards me.

I sighed, "Fine, but I'm getting tired of this. Sit down Ronalt... though there really isn't much space." With Pina inside we were basically shoulder to shoulder. She rubbed into my side, quite comfortable with the situation as I once more began to explain.

*

For a good while Ronalt sat in silence. It wasn't like we had much else to do. The initial plan had been to teleport back to Mama's orphanage and then hunker down in the Magician's guild before we faced Lara. Now however we were seriously stuck. All throughout the night the Empire's soldier's had been searching the city and even the slums. We could see the fire of their torches from here. The only saving grace was that they hadn't made a move on the Magician's Guild yet but that was only a matter of time. With the secret of them using Lara out in the open they no longer had reason to hold back.