Behind Gilded Masks

Chapter 6

Who the hell would throw a knife in a crowded room? And more importantly why the hell had no-one panicked? Eileen had thought she was prepared for her entrance into high society inTeodes, but the night's events had proven her wrong.

She had been expecting talking and skirting around difficult topics. She had even somewhat prepared for all of the attention her looks might get her. There weren't many people with green eyes on this side of the continent. But she hadn't been expecting knives.

That was something better reserved for battlefields, and although some would call the politicking that went on in these spaces such, a battle of swords was not the same as a battle of words. Even though both could be equally damaging. Eileen knew as much from the spats she and Damien would get into as children.

The attack had felt targeted. As soon as she had registered the presence of the knife in her hand, she'd wondered who it had been targeting. The trajectory had been focused to go past her rather than at her. With the crowd that they'd been accumulating, it could have been anyone.

It made her uneasy. The only reason she hadn't left to investigate it in the moment of the catch was the awareness thatAylawas with her. A part of her didn't feel comfortable leaving her being with the threat looming near, but the greater part of her knew that she'd be safer with the culprit found. Which was why she was now following the trail of rotting iron perfusing from the knife up to the balcony.

The smell of iron still lingered in the air as she stepped onto the platform. A thick wall of it wafted towards her, making her grimace. A hand going up to cover her nose as she walked closer, the knife clutched in her other hand.

But all she found was a scrap of cloth at the edge of the railing. She bent down to pick it up, eyebrows furrowing at the scratchy feel. Straightening again, she glanced over the terrace, hoping to catch a glance of where they could be. Alas it was no use. Whoever had been here had managed to escape.

They must have fled in the confusion of her stopping their attack. She grimaced, tapping her foot as she considered her next actions. A scratchy piece of cloth was hardly a lot to go on. If only she had went after them and not hesitated.

But no. It was more important to make sureAylawas safe. Along with the other inhabitants of the room. What was there to say the assailant wouldn't have attacked again? They certainly hadn't had any reservations of doing it once.

Still though...It would be much more difficult to find the culprit. Difficult, but not impossible. Eileen let out a deep sigh, her hand once again going to her nose, except this time to the bridge of nose rather than the nostrils. Her grandfather's words ringing in her head were somewhat, yet they didn't really do much for the current situation.

"Are you thinking of jumping off?" The sudden and decidedly male voice had her tensing as she turned around. Was this-

Eileen blinked at the black haired man standing in front of her. He had his hands buried in the pockets of his pants. Grey eyes looking at her, a glint of amusement in them that she didn't quite like. His lips were quirked up in a small grin.

"No." Eileen said, making sure it stayed the same depth as it had all night. She was in disguise after all. It wasn't difficult to make it natural. "Although perhaps I should." She followed it with a raise of her eyebrows. "Seems like you've done it."

He looked startled for a second, before his lips turned up in a grin. "No. No. I've never done such a thing." His grin turned into a wry smile. "It would be impossible to do without getting some rather annoying attention, I'm afraid."

Eileen hummed. "I suppose." She sighed. "But that doesn't explain what you're doing here?"

"Who me?" He pulled away from the wall, faux innocence plastered on his face. "I'm simply following the hero who stopped a knife."