With Fear or Without

36- How To: Infiltrate a City

No one knew how long this excursion was going to take. No one had any clue. So the trio was forced to practically beg their parents, using all their pull to get them a whole day of freedom.

On Friday evening, Cleo, Charlie, and Andy stayed silent as they waited outside the school gate- their default meeting spot. They all left the pressure of what they would set out to do tonight, and their week of training felt widely inadequate.

Cleo had recently learned how to open the entrance to the safe haven herself, though opening those double doors was still giving her grief. She concentrated on the air around her and managed the stairs, but Cassian had to meet them in the halls to let them into the city.

Instead of heading straight for the small, long building in which they trained, the trio was led straight towards the town hall where they would finally get the run-down of how the night would go. Cleo was hoping for a step-by-step PowerPoint- maybe a manual they could take with them.

When Cassian stepped through the doors, Charlie stopped.

"Last chance."

Cleo and Andy paused, each with a foot on the stairs, and looked at their friend.

"This is our last chance to change our minds. To turn around."

Cleo and Andy exchanged glances. They were both thinking the same thing; that their last chance had been long ago.

Charlie was staring back at them with a painfully neutral expression. The words were mundane but they were heavy, and carried so much worry and weight.

"If we turn around, it'll just follow us," Cleo said quietly. "You know we can't walk away."

Charlie nodded dully, marching past them and into the lobby.

Inside, they were greeted by Nolan's smiling face, his boots up on the desk as usual.

"Hey guys," he called, pushing his glasses farther up his nose. "Go ahead, everyone's waiting for you."

"That sounds ominous," Charlie observed. "Who's everyone?"

"Oh, just my parents and your trainers. Lintilla isn't here this time to bug you, don't worry," he said, grinning. He jabbed his thumb behind him at the conference room door. "Go on, you'll be fine."

"Thanks Nolan," Cleo said, leading her friends to the door with false confidence.

Inside, the atmosphere was tense. Six people sat in silence; wringing their hands, playing with their hair, tapping their legs. Cassian joined Remie on one side of the table, across from Vik and Sona. At the head of the table, the Silvers sat side by side, the single glass circlet sitting in the same spot in front of Spiros, who was peering at it through his glasses.

Maedrian spoke first, the only one who looked remotely comfortable. "Ah, our heroes have arrived!" She spread her arms out in welcome, making Cleo blush as all eyes flickered to them. "Take a seat, you three."

They obeyed, taking the same three chairs clustered at one end. Remie caught Cleo's eye and smiled reassuringly as they each sat gingerly on the edge of their chairs.

"Now that you're here, we'll give you the background on the event you'll be attending," Maedrian continued. "It's quite a bit of information, so hold your questions 'till the end if you don't mind."

Cleo swallowed and nodded.

Maedrian cleared her throat and began.

"The ball is a birthday event for the young Rose twins who are turning twenty tomorrow. It's an enormous event, so it'll be easier for you to sneak in without suspicion. You will need invitations, of course, but that has been taken care of." She nodded at Cassian, who slid three shiny envelopes across the table. He stared at them with an odd look. Disgust, maybe. Whatever it was, it made Cleo wonder what was done to get these envelopes.