Indigo's Owl [Indigo Rewrite]

Chapter 35 - Stronger than Wrath

"Let's go," she said stiffly, a slight hitch in her voice the only hint that she might've been in pain. She took Shift's hand in hers, coiling a tethered loop of Black around his waist that held the weight off his side. "We'll take that one scientist with us. He's apparently the Orange in charge of the databases, so I'm sure that our own Orange will figure out some use for him."

Shift didn't care if she'd suggested a world tour of Thols by turtle-back as long as it got her further away from the leak in the dome. "Sounds good to me."

They passed through the room of contained Sleepers without incident. Athira sealed the doorway behind them with crystal Black, but as they were about to exit the cupboard room, voices drifting in from the next room brought them to a stop.

"What is this stuff?" muttered someone. "Damn crystal has practically fused with the floor."

"Does it matter?" replied another. "Just keep going."

Athira poked her head around the doorway before pulling back to look at Shift. "There's an Elite or two trying to get our scientist friend out. You stay here, I'll deal with them."

Shift squeezed her hand. "Deal with them, or deal with them?"

He could practically hear her eyes roll beneath her mask before she stepped around the corner. "I'll be gentle."

Shift leaned back against the wall as the Black around his waist went with her. He'd downplayed it to stop Athira from going berserk again, but he was looking forward to the moment he could shift Zoe's Yellow. Every breath was a battle to keep himself from wincing, to hide what he could from Athira until they were safely back at—

Something cold slipped into the side of his chest, sucking what little breath he had from his lungs.

"That's my dagger you can feel," an icy voice said beside his ear. Invisible fingers grabbed Shift by the shoulder, pulling him off the wall and facing him towards the doorway Athira had gone into. "Move. Nice and slow."

Shift could do little else as his captor shoved him from behind and into the room.

Athira had made quick work of the two Elites beside the scientist's chair and was dragging both the scientist and his chair over towards the doorway when she saw Shift and froze.

"Hello, Owl," said the icy voice behind Shift. "Before you do anything you'll regret, I should tell you: the blade of my dagger is currently intangible, but if anything disrupts the rune keeping it that way or he gets too far from me, it will solidify directly into your partner's heart. Am I understood?"

Athira gripped the chair hard enough that Shift was surprised it didn't crack. "What do you want?"

The grip on Shift's shoulder materialised into long, tan fingers, and from the corner of his eye, Shift could see the sleeve of a Blue Wardens suit. "First, release that man from the furniture so I know I have your full attention."

Athira slashed her hand downward. The crystal split, hitting the ground with a heavy thud before the scientist fled, scrambling across the ground.

"Good," said the Warden behind Shift. "Next, take off your mask."

Shift wriggled against the Warden's grip. "Don't even—"

The Warden's hand left his shoulder to jab her fingers into his side. Shift couldn't stop the cry of pain as his legs gave out. The cold bite of the dagger still buried in his side left him breathless, as the Warden's grasp on his cowl became the only thing that stopped him from collapsing entirely.

"I said, take off your mask," repeated the Warden as Shift tasted blood. "Or do I have to make my point again?"

Athira was shaking as she lifted her mask up and over her head, throwing it on the ground beside her.