You climbed six floors, avoided patrols of guards, snuck up behind a few and incapacitated them, traveled through a labyrinth of bookshelves and artifacts, only to find the man you were looking for lying face down on the floor... dead.
"Fuck." You pressed your forehead into your palm and sashayed towards the window. You shoved it open and tied a red cloth to the handle, securing it before returning to the task ahead. You did the only thing you could do: search through the notes on his desk for clues or hints.
Evie gave a low groan, hopping through the window to the floor below. "What happened?"
"In my defense, he was dead when I got here?" You looked up at her, the candlelight in the room casting her skin with a warm glow. "I hope we had a plan B."
"The plan is to find the book before anyone else." She gave a heavy sigh then swaggered from one side of the room to the bookshelves that lined the wall. "But without the archivist... There has to be a million books in here."
"A book as special as this one?" You continued your search through the desk until you found a false bottom in one of the drawers. "It deserves a special place, yes?" You pried open the plank of wood and found the weathered book resting inside.
Evie gave a surprised laugh, a rich and delightful sound as she hurried over. "Thank god the Templars didn't find it."
You gave a hum in agreement while flipping carefully through the stiff tan pages. "It's in a language I've never seen before. We'll need an expert to translate it for us." You flicked your gaze at her and then to the opening doors behind her. "Go, Evie. Take the book. I'll distract them."
She barely grabbed it when you pressed it into her arms. Her hand snagged yours, eyes meeting for a worried moment. "Be careful."
Your heart hammered, breath stilling. "Always."
"Not always..." She wavered, hesitated.
You squeezed her hand. "This time. I promise."
"You better be." Evie raced out of the window as a dozen guards weaved their way around bookshelves.
You smirked, tossing a smoke bomb in your palm while they spouted their commands and the charges against you. Breaking and entering, thievery, murder... The usual list.
You gave an overly dramatic sigh, a roll of your eyes. "Sorry, darlings. Can't stay. I've got places to be." You tossed the bomb when you thought Evie was far enough away from the building and any guards that might try to peruse her. You raced through the estate, daring them to follow after you.