Once again Sky's plan was falling apart. Not only did she have no real evidence to prove that the King planed on attaching the secret rebel group, but she had no idea where they were. Sky figured that it wouldn't be as simple as going up to a person and asking for directions. This hunt required some kind of trail, but Sky didn't even know where to start looking.
No one had followed her from the palace yet and Sky was beginning to think she'd gotten away with her daring feat. Still, to be safe she kept a close eye on the path behind her as well as looking out for any officers that patrolled the streets. She was in the middle of the city and reality was beginning to settle in at how big Karniva truly was.
With each passing step, Sky was acutely aware that time was against her. She had to beat the officers to the Cormorants else they'd be slaughtered and her chances at finding her brother gone with them. She looked around and huffed. Sky hit her forehead willing herself to think harder.
They could be anywhere. I don't even know the layout of this place.
Realising her problem Sky looked up at the buildings around her. Most were double story homes and shops with flat rooves and some even had fences that prevented someone from falling off. Nothing was tall enough for what she needed though so she kept walking her eyes peeled for somewhere that would give her a good view of the city.
Sky had been walking for almost an hour and her time fame was slipping fast. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted what looked like a church. Driven by renewed enthusiasm she sprinted towards it dodging passer-by's and carts in her path.
The church was a huge monument with large stained glass windows and pillars built from dark grey stone. Sky could tell that it was old due to the cracks in the façade and the spreading ivy that had sprouted from them. The edge was lined with stone gargoyles that looked down on Sky with disapproving glares. Attached to the side on the right was the bell tower and Sky's target.
Debating whether or not to climb the stone wall of the church Sky decided she didn't want to risk falling to her death. She walked up to the door and pushed. It swung open on aging hinges and the sound rang out through the silent sanctuary. Sky stepped inside and shut the great wooden door behind her.
The space had been filled with pews that went to the front of the church and stopped just under a beautiful stained glass window of the virgin Mary. She was wrapped in blue cloth and her face was tender. The late afternoon sun shone through her face making her glow and casting vibrant colours across the tiles.
The church was not in service but nor was it empty. Sky was rather glad that she was not alone in this great space. Her father had not been very religious and as a result Sky had never set foot in a holy place such as this. The presence of people would make her task a little more difficult as it meant more witnesses but Sky was thankful that most of them were facing the front and had their backs to her and the bell tower.
Careful to walk with light steps, Sky ascended the stairs leading to the top of the tower. She took them two at once and by the time she was at the top, four flights higher, she was panting and hot. Eager she looked around for a door leading to the bell. It was on the other side of the tower and there was a great space between her and it. Sky edged over to the beam just before the ground dropped off and she could see down to the bottom of the tower.
The gap was just out of reach for Sky to step over and she wondered how on earth an old monk was expected to cross the distance. The door leading outside was waiting on the other side and had no lock. Taking a deep breath and rolling her shoulders, Sky backed up to the top stair and told herself that she could make it. Sky launched her body across the gap and shut her eyes.
Her feet hit the other side and she was driven forward by momentum Sky crashed into the door opening it and sending her out into the crisp air. She braced herself on the railing that lined the towers top. To her right was a ladder leading up to the bell. With shaking hands Sky climbed until she reached the bell. It was huge and smelt metallic like blood. Sky shook her head before unwanted bloody memories came flooding back.
From her position Sky could see the entire city; up until the edge where it became smaller towns and villages. Looking back the other way, she saw the bay. In it were many ships, but all were dwarfed by one in particular.
So that's what you look like.
The Jane Dutches took up more space than all the fishing boats had back on Rendes. She was certainly a magnificent ship; a yellow hull lined with three cannon decks and three masts the seemed to go on forever. Her sails, crisp and white, shone in the sun making Sky see spots.
Sky looked to the dock she had arrived at and was surprised when she couldn't see it. A part of her was thankful that The Belladonna was out of sight, but she knew that meant there was a section of the city she couldn't see. Hoping they weren't there Sky surveyed the rest of the landscape. She tried to draw a mental map in her mind that would aid her on the ground and looked for any place that could house a group of rebels. Instead she saw something else.
Emerging from the gates of the palace was a group of around forty men all dressed in uniform. Sky panicked wondering if her time had run out. From below her Sky saw three officers. They were pointing to the palace and nodding. One ran off in the direction of the officers and the other two began sprinting toward the west side of the city.
Not wanting to risk losing sight of them, Sky began climbing down the outside of the tower. The stones were large and easy to grip as she slowly made her way onto the main roof. The men were almost out of her sight now and Sky ran along the top of the church till she reached the end, the tiles cluttering under her feet. Using the gargoyles as handles, she swang herself over the edge. Below her was a three story drop to the ground; a fall Sky knew she couldn't make. Holding firmly to the gargoyle, Sky stretched out her legs in an attempt to reach the top of the stain glass window. The pane was just out of reached and Sky knew she had to let go in order to reach it.
Holding her breath, she released her hold and scrapped her hands along the stones as she fell. Her shoes came into contact with the top of the window seconds later and Sky leaned in not wanting to fall backwards. The pane was just big enough for the tips of her feet and Sky edged herself down to the side. Running down the rest of the way were small holes that let air into the chapel. Sky gripped them and, hole by hole, she climbed down.
When she was five feet from the ground she let her body drop and didn't give herself a moments rest as she ran after the officers. She couldn't see them, but had seen where they were heading and hoped she would catch up soon. She was on the main road when she caught sight of them again and decreased her speed to match theirs and stay at a safe distance. They were moving quickly weren't paying much attention to their surroundings. Sky followed them easily, apologising when she bumped into someone.
The streets were becoming more crowded now and less open. The air too and changed into a thick stench that reminded Sky of faeces and sickness. The buildings shifted from stone to wood and the people from well-dressed to barely covered at all. The men began to slow down and look around them.
They had stopped at a fork in the road there broke off into three pathways, the already narrow streets became only big enough for two people to walk side by side. They looked down one of them and then at each other.
Sky moulded herself to the walls of the buildings and paused waiting to see which path they would chose. She was just closes enough to hear them.
"Whereabouts are they?" One officer asked. The both looked uneasy and tense.
"Down that one." He pointed to the one on the right and looked hesitant. "Should we wait for the others?"
"No." They looked around again making Sky turn to look like she was inspecting one of the shacks that was selling some very dodgy looking herbs. The man continued, "They are arriving much later tonight. Our job is to go in and take out the watch towers so they don't get any warning on when we are attacking."
Sky felt relieved that they would lead her straight there. However, she knew that it was highly possible that she'd have to take them out and could only hope her aim did not fail her. The men set off down the alley and Sky counted to ten before she followed keeping in the shadows. There were various nooks that she used to hid in and wait for them to move way before finding another place.
When they'd almost reached the end of the alley Sky saw there was only one place she could hid. Not wanting to lose sight of them once they excited the narrow space, Sky waited for them to start talking before she crept behind them and behind the small door way.
"I don't like it here." One of the men admitted and his fellow officer nodded in agreement.
"Soon none of this will be here." The both grinned and Sky had a feeling that they weren't just talking about the Cormorants hide out.
"When are the rest of them attacking?" He asked and Sky scoffed.
There is no way he would say information like that out loud-
"Three hours from now." The other officer answer and Sky blinked. "We have that much time to get in and get out with our job done." They nodded to each other and left the alley way.
Sky waited her heart pounding loud in her chest. Taking a deep breath she moved from her cover and walked out of the alley and in to The Cormorants so called 'hide out'.