Claude didn't stop walking until we had marched past the city gates. I glanced back at the guards to see unfamiliar faces – the guard had changed in the last few hours. Behind them the sky was growing dark, the clouds swelling with what undoubtedly would be more snow.
I could feel my features start to change, like an itch under my skin. I watched as Cedric's hair was drained of colour once more, and in front of my Claude's hair grew out and was stained black. I ran my fingers through my hair, looking down at the white colour fading. I touched my face – my nose was back to its normal shape, and my lips felt like mine once more. I was thankful for the trees shielding our changes – no doubt it would've raised the alarm had the guards witnessed it.
"The tower is at the centre of the city." Claude said, abruptly turning to face us, "No doubt it will be highly guarded. But if we try a stealthy approach we should be able to sneak in without too much trouble."
"But what if things go wrong?" I asked, "We have no weapons." I felt naked going into a mission like this without my bow on my back. "We should at least scrounge up some knives."
"You have no weapons." Claude grinned, "I happen to have my pistol. And my knife." He pulled up his shirt to show the butt of his pistol poking out from his trouser waist-band. "However, finding you a bow shouldn't be too difficult..." he trailed off, his brow furrowing.
"What?" I asked, feeling warmth flush my cheeks. Was something on my face? Was my nose not exactly as it had been? I touched my face, fingers feeling a familiar landscape – no, it seemed right. So why was he staring at me so?
"Your ears." Cedric breathed, his hand reaching to brush my hair away. My hand moved to touch them and I felt the tips, still tapered to points.
"Claude?" I growled, "Why... why haven't they changed back?" his eyes were wide and genuinely surprised.
"I... I don't know." He gaped like a fish, "I mean... the rest of your changes have disappeared... I can't understand why that one wouldn't...?"
"I like it." Cedric interrupted.
"Well of course you do," Claude snapped, "Now she looks more like one of you."
"And what's so wrong about that?" Cedric shot back, his eyes flashing, "Besides she is one of us!"
"Only half so." I whispered, fingers still hovering on my ears. They hadn't changed back? I was stuck looking like this. "Claude, fix this." I ordered, "I... I don't want to..." Cedric's face flashed with pain. I felt guilt but didn't meet his eyes.
"Irene, I don't know..." Claude started, "I mean... it makes sense, don't you think?"
"Excuse me?" I snapped, "Your magic going wrong makes sense? That's a good catchline to inspire confidence."
"No I understand." Cedric said slowly, "He's... he's right."
"You're taking his side?" I cried. What a time for them to become chummy.
"No... you're a Halfling. Half Fae."
"And half elf..." I breathed.
"I wondered why you looked so human if you have no human blood." Claude picked up, "I mean, shouldn't you have had ears like the rest of them?"
"So your magic... what?"
"I think I might have undone perhaps an old spell?" Claude mused, "Were either of your parents magic... what am I thinking, of course they both were."
"They were disguised as humans." I nodded, "I suppose... they could've disguised me as one too."
"And now you've gone and undone it." Cedric finished.
"Well that's all lovely and dandy," I snapped, "But I don't see how this will help. I was... I could at least pass for human. Now... now that's taken from me, too." I wasn't human – I had accepted that. But I had at least been able to stand in a crowd and been counted amongst them. Now I would be feared, or hated, like that woman in the inn.
"Irene..." Cedric began.
"This is good." Claude interrupted, "Yes. We can use this."
"Claude, what?" I snapped.
"You said it yourself – humans are being treated like dirt. But you look like a Faeri now, which means you will be treated with respect. You and Cedric."
"Except we're sitting on Imelda's most wanted list." I retorted.
"Yes, but from a distance, you won't be recognised – most people wouldn't even know what you look like, even from the posters." Claude rubbed his hands together craftily, "And even so. Change your hair, perhaps cut it short."
"I'm not cutting my hair." I snapped.
"Let's get back to the matter at hand," Cedric interjected, "We need to get into the tower, without raising the alarm, and without getting ourselves killed."
"Right, right," Claude nodded, "So. I could disguise myself as a maid, and take the Baron his evening meal..."
"Why do you like dressing up as women so much?" I smirked, amused despite myself. Claude dropped a wink.
"You're hardly one to talk, always wearing men's clothes." He grinned, "Disgraceful."
Cedric muttered something under his breath, looking at Claude with a look of disgust.
"No dressing up as maids, I take it?" Claude asked with mock disappointment, "Very well. However, we will need to find a back way in – perhaps the servant's entrance?"
"The kitchens tend to have pathways to all the central rooms," Cedric supplied, "At least they did in Trinstone. It made it easier to take meals to important people without getting in the way of others."
"What room is Mayon sleeping in?" Claude asked, "That is important. We can't just kick down every door and hope that we eventually find the right one."
"Or you could just open them," Cedric snapped, "Seeing as you're so big on subtlety."
"Surely there will be a passageway leading from the kitchen right to his room?" I asked, "Or we could ask one of the kitchen servants – no doubt they would be humans, and I doubt they would be reluctant to see their Baron dead."
"So your plan is to sneak in to the kitchen and ask for directions?" Claude snorted, "This will be one for the legends."
"Well do you have a better one?" I snapped, "Oh masterful magician?"
"No, I suppose not." Claude shrugged, "So I guess we'll be going with your plan."
"We still need some weapons." Cedric said, "In case things do go wrong."
"Because they always do." Claude nodded, "Good thinking, Your Puffiness."
"Claude...?" I sighed, exasperated, "Really?"
"We can steal you a set of arrows and a bow on the way," Claude said, ignoring me, "There's sure to be an armoury either close to or in the tower's complex."
"It should be dark in a few hours." Cedric said looking skyward to the clouds visible through the grey leaves. I followed his gaze, feeling sadness at the lack of green.
"We need to get in before they shut the gates," Claude nodded, "After my sneaking in a week or so ago, they will probably have tightened security. Once inside, we will only have a short time to get our hands on some weapons. If we get caught outside when it's dark, they'll arrest us. I saw it happen to a group of men."
"Get inside, get a weapon, get to the tower, and kill the Baron." I rattled them off "Easy enough."
"We can only hope," Claude said darkly, "Though keep in mind our ability to attract bad luck."
***
We were stopped once more at the gate, Claude having morphed our features again; Claude now bore bright hair as white as snow, as did Cedric. Despite the lack of colour, their reshaped faces bore enough similarity you might have thought them brothers. They certainly bickered like siblings, I thought with quiet amusement.
The guards let us pass without concern, and we found ourselves in a darkening city with the warning to stay off the streets when it was dark. I looked skyward towards the tower, standing like a solitary tombstone over the rest of the city. We began our way towards it, sticking to the alleyways and off the main streets. Claude let our disguises end and I felt the change wash off me like water.
"The armoury can't be far from the tower." Claude muttered as he led the way. Our feet were quiet, steps smothered by the snow. "We sneak in and grab weapons first." He turned to look at me, "And if you have to kill anyone, hide the body. We don't want to raise the alarm if we can help it." I nodded.
"What do we do if we get caught before we reach the armoury?" Cedric asked, "Even Irene can't fight off armed guards without a weapon.
"We run." Claude said simply, "And come back another time and try again."
"Let's just not get spotted in the first place." I said hastily. I didn't have time to 'try again'. My time was running out – I didn't have room for mistakes.
The tower inched closer with every street we wound our way down. As the light faded away entirely we found ourselves barely able to see, the snow only a shade lighter than the walls on both sides of us, and our only guide. When we came to alley entrances we pressed ourselves to the walls and waited for any guards to appear before we hurried across and slipped on.
Finally the iron gates that surrounded the tower came into view. There was a wide street between us and the fence, with guards walking in pairs up and down. Torches were set up at regular intervals, lighting up the area – there was no way we were crossing without being seen. I could see steel glinting on the men at their hips and on their breasts where their armour sat.
"What now?" Cedric hissed, "Can you see a way to get closer without being seen?"
"I..." Claude shook his head, "I think... we're going to have to..." he looked skywards and I followed to see balconies above us. The buildings were close-set, walled right up next to one another. "Up." Claude finished.
"Up?" Cedric snapped.
"We can use the buildings to get across the wall." Claude explained, pointing, "Look. That building is right up next to the fence."
"And then there is a thirty foot drop down the other side." Cedric growled, "No. surely there is a back entrance? A smaller gate with less guards?"
"It can't hurt to look." I suggested. Claude rolled his eyes but didn't protest. We slipped back into the alley, moving further along. I caught snatches of the lit up street, the occasional guard walking past. Slowly Claude stopped, peeking around a corner, and I crept up beside him.
Back out on the main street I could see a smaller gate – beside it sat a small guardhouse with two men seated inside – but they were the only guards I could see.
"This looks like it's the best we're going to get." Claude said dully.
"One of us could distract them whilst the other two take them out?" I suggested.
"But what if they call over the other guards?" Cedric asked, "Then there will be too many to handle, and we'll be faced with the same problem."
"What if we lure them over?" Claude whispered, "With something suspicious enough to draw them over, but not enough to call for more help?"
"And that would be what, exactly?" I asked. Claude balled up some snow in his hand. It glittered in the dim light from the street.
"Well, how suspicious of snow are you?" he winked.
With a light throw he sent the snow flying towards the street. it landed with a patter at the alley entrance where it exploded into a light spray. In the guard house both men stiffened, as if uncertain they had seen anything. Claude balled up more snow and threw it once more. It landed in the same spot.
The guards spoke to each other briefly before one stood and made his way outside.
"Shit." I hissed, "We need both of them."
"If he doesn't go back after a few minutes maybe the other will follow?" Cedric asked. We crept back from the alley and waited as footsteps crunched closer over the snow.
"Is... is anyone there?" a voice called as the noise stopped. Claude held a hand up and we waited, holding our breath. A moment later the footsteps continued and I could make out the shadow of the guard over the snow. Claude moved like liquid as the guards figure appeared around the corner. Before he could make a noise Claude's hand was over his mouth and on his sword, slipping it from its sheath and into his chest.
Blood sprayed the snow, hot and dark, and I could see it melting. There was the sound of a door opening and I glanced up the alley to see the second guard walking towards us, his sword drawn. Claude quickly dragged the dead guard further away into the shadows.
"Show yourself!" the guard called, his voice tight. I listened as he moved closer, snow protesting under his boots, until he stopped. I wondered if he had spotted the blood, if he would raise the alarm – we hadn't even entered the building and already we would fail.
Claude stepped out into the open, his hands over his head. I reached for him – had he lost his mind? – But Cedric held me back. I looked at him as he placed a finger over his lips.
"Good evening." Claude bowed his head to the guard.
"What... what's that on your shirt?" the Faeri asked, no doubt gesturing to the blood on Claude's front.
"Oh, nothing." Claude laughed, "Just broke a quill. You know how ink stains."
"What are you doing here?" the guard demanded, "Where... where is... did you see a man walk through here?"
"I don't believe I did." Claude shook his head, dropping his hands. "Lovely night, isn't it?"
"You're breaking curfew." The guard growled. I listened to his steps advance on Claude. "I'm going to have to arrest you."
"Oh but the stars are so nice," Claude sighed, gesturing upwards. I wondered if the guard had actually looked up or not, but Claude took a chance, diving at the Faeri and knocking him to the ground. I broke away from Cedric and rounded the corner to watch as Claude pulled a knife from his boot and stabbed it down into the Faeri's throat.
"Thanks for the help, guys." He said, smoothing his hair back and wiping his knife on his pants.
"You handled it fine by yourself." Cedric said, appearing behind me. he leant against the wall, crossing his arms.
"Well we have our way in, now." Claude grinned back at us, holding a ring of keys up. They jingled as he rose to his feet. "These probably unlock every room in the tower."
He wiped himself down and led the way to the guard house. Inside we found lockers. He unlocked them and tossed me a bow and quiver. Cedric pushed Claude aside and grabbed himself a sword and dagger. I found myself a new knife and slipped it into my boot.
Finally armed and ready, we moved to the gates. Claude put the key in and turned, unlocking them. With a low creak, he pushed the iron aside and we slipped inside.
***
There were less guards on duty than I had expected once inside the gates. It didn't stop my heart from pounding in my throat, or the feeling of heat that washed across my body. Energy pumped through me as we approached the base of the tower. Windows flickered, white shapes up the length of the walls, and doors decorated the base. We hurried to the smallest door, Claude trying a few keys before he found the right one. Inside it was hot and steamy, and I blinked as a figure hurried past, almost spilling boiling water over me.
"So sorry!" the woman cried, her hair frazzled, her clothes stained. She barely spared us a glance as she hurried on. I looked up and down the corridor, unsure of what direction to take.
"Which way?" I asked. Both ways were identical, with no windows and low burning torches.
"She looked like a kitchen maid." Claude said, "Let's follow her. See where she's going."
We followed after the woman carrying the pot of boiling water. I could hear her feet clicking along the stone passage some distance up ahead. Finally I heard the noise of a door being bumped open and picked up the speed. Claude and Cedric followed suit. The door shut with a light tap and as I rounded a corner I saw it, with light flickering underneath.
"Wait here." Claude said softly, slipping past me.
"What?" I snapped, "Why?"
"Because you two won't exactly inspire confidence in humans." He said not unkindly, "I'm human. And so are they. You are not."
"Claude..." I began.
"Just let him." Cedric said quietly, taking my hand, "Besides, if he gets caught at least we won't be seen too."
"Fine." I said shortly. Claude nodded and disappeared through the doors.
I wasn't sure how long we waited before he re-emerged, his hair slightly frazzled, and I wondered how steamy the kitchen was.
"Mayon, or the Baron, as they call him," Claude began, "Resides in the highest bedroom, across from the Council room."
"Typical." I sighed. That just meant far more climbing, and a much greater chance at being spotted.
"However, the servant's passage that leads to the council room starts here. The lovely maid I talked to said that when Councils are called it is important that meals are taken as quickly as possible."
"So... we climb to the council room and then slip across into his room?" I asked.
"It would seem so, yes." Claude nodded, wiping his hair off his face.
"That seems far too easy." Cedric interjected. I couldn't help but agree with him.
"It's easy as long we don't get seen, or no one raises the alarm." Claude cautioned, "But if that happens I hate the think about how hard things could become."
"And they," I gestured to the kitchen, "Are just going to let us flounce on through?"
"What can I say?" Claude winked, "I have a way with the ladies. And it seems the Baron likes his ladies."
***
The kitchen maids didn't even glance our way as we passed through, except for one who couldn't take her eyes off Claude. He dropped her a wink, causing her to flush, as he passed her and I felt a stab of something in my stomach – anger? Resentment? Jealousy?
Once through the door leading up to the council room we were faced with the long journey upwards. Staircase after staircase, winding up and around above us until the darkness above swallowed the stone up whole. Claude didn't seem to have any problems as he danced his way up.
We passed windows as we rose and I could see the dark grounds below, with the fence and its lit streets beyond. There had been no alarm yet – no one had found our dead guards. And yet I knew that as soon as the guard changed that would all go out the window.
We reached the final level and I wasted enough time to look out the window. Far below fires dotted the snow covered landscape. It was a world of intense blacks and whites. I supposed even without colour it had its own kind of beauty.
"Irene?" Cedric asked. I turned to see him waiting by the open door – Claude had already slipped through.
"Sorry." I muttered, leaving the window and stepping past him. Through the door was the Council room; it was a wide, long hall, with an enormous table that ran almost the entire length. Nearing twenty chairs were set up along the table. It was dark in the room, with only two torches lit at the opposite door. I glanced around, but Claude was nowhere to be seen.
"Where's Claude?" I asked as Cedric walked to the door. He pulled it slightly ajar.
"I don't know." He said quietly, "He hurried onwards. Maybe he heard something or had to find something?"
"What's he playing at?" I groaned. We didn't have time for him to run off and do Felinir knows what.
"It doesn't matter." Cedric said, "Because we need to just get this done and get out." I nodded as we both stepped out of the Council room. Across the hall, as Claude had said, there was a single door. Down the hall was nothing else but a staircase that disappeared downwards.
"I'll go in first." I said slowly, "In case things go wrong. Imelda still thinks you're dead." I added when Cedric moved to protest, "We want to keep it that way for as long as possible."
"Fine." He said eventually, leaning down and kissing me on the forehead, "But be careful. Please."
"Of course." I grinned, taking the knife from my boot. I tired the doorknob, and finding it unlocked, carefully turned it. Pushing it open I slipped inside the room to find a fire crackling away lightly. It gave of warm heat. My gaze shifted from the dancing flames to the bed positioned directly opposite it. I could see clothes littering the ground around it.
The sheets were rumpled, and after quietly checking that no one was sitting in the high backed arm-chairs, I slowly moved closer. I could see an obvious sleeping figure in the bed, hidden under the thick grey blankets. I hefted my knife higher up and grabbed the edge of the blanket, muscles poised to dive backwards.
A pale face stared up at me with wide eyes as I whipped the sheets off. A slim face, with dark eyes, even darker lips and undoubtedly female. Not Mayon.
I raised a finger to my lips and began lowering my knife. She nodded, her eyes flickering to her left. I followed her gaze and saw a second sleeping form – the back of a dark head covered with dark sheets.
"Go on..." I breathed to the girl who climbed out of bed, naked. She pulled her clothes off the floor and tugged them on before she hurriedly left the room. Turning back I looked at Mayon's sleeping form – for it had to be Mayon – and tightened my fingers around the knife. I edged around to the other side of the bed. Before Mayon could wake I grabbed him by his hair and dragged him from the bed, tossing him to the floor.
He woke with a cry of shock and pain, eyes blazing as he rolled over and glared up at me.
"What in Rudez' name is going on here?!" he demanded, trying to clamber to his feet. I lunged a kick at him, sending him sprawling up against the wall. I didn't give him a chance to recover, diving in after him. as he rose to his feet I kept him planted against the wall, one hand on his chest, the other brandishing my blade.
The knife felt loose in my sweaty palm, but I didn't let it slip. Mayon glared at me, his eyes bright with fear and shock. I felt with savage delight the anger course through my veins as I pressed the blade to his throat. Colour dyed my vision and I saw dark brown hair, and even darker eyes that glittered like gems. His robes were no longer the red I had become accustomed to.
"You..." he breathed, hands falling limp at his side, "You won't... you won't get away with this!" he cried, "The law..."
"I've escaped the law before," I hissed, "I can escape it again."
"You can't stop her," Mayon snarled, "Our Empress will bring about a new age where the Fae rule all of Eltor! Where humans are eradicated." His chest heaved as I pressed the blade tighter against his skin, drawing a thin line of red.
"Oh, I'm going to stop her." I breathed, "I'm going to tear her empire down around her. Starting with you."
"You're nothing but a criminal!" Mayon howled, and I saw real fear in his eyes, "You can't kill me!"
"I'm not going to." I snarled. I drew back my knife, but kept my other hand pressed firmly on his chest. Behind me I heard footsteps. "He is." Cedric stepped up beside me, fingering his own knife.
"C-Cedric..." Mayon breathed, his face whitening, "No... No, you're dead!" Cedric's face split into a cold smile and I saw fury blaze like ice in his eyes. I felt a thrill sweep through me – I could see his face, in all its beauty, as the fury blazed through me too.
"Mayon," Cedric crooned, running his knife's tip along the advisors jaw, "Or Baron, should I call you?" his hand replaced mine and I stepped back, moving towards the door. I glanced back down the hall to the spiralling staircase. Where was Claude?
"Cedric, think about what you are doing!" Mayon was crying, "You... if you kill me... she's a criminal. You'll be just like her!"
"The murder of a traitor is a much lesser crime than that of treason," Cedric said coolly, "I never did trust you like father did. I should've gotten rid of you long ago."
"Cedric, please!" Mayon bawled, "Don't!"
"Don't what?" Cedric snarled, "Kill you? Like you've killed dozens of humans – killed them because of what they were born as?"
"Humans... humans are not..." Mayon fumbled.
"You're a monster." Cedric growled, "And even if I never see Imelda brought down, I'll see you punished for your crimes."
"No, no... n-no..."
"May Navê guide your soul," Cedric hissed, "And may you burn in Alninė!" I heard the knife go in, heard the thump of the advisor's body as he hit the floor, but I didn't turn around. not because I didn't want to see it, but because I could hear steps sprinting our way – and more than one set of feet.
"Shit, we've got company." I called over my shoulder. Cedric appeared by my side, blood gleaming on his knife. A moment later Claude appeared at the top of the stairs, hair streaming over his shoulders as he ran. I saw blood, though I couldn't be certain if it was his or not.
"Out of the way, out of the way!" he shouted, and we dived out of the way as he shot through the door. Slamming the door closed I heard the lock click. A moment later footsteps thundered on the other side.
"What did you do?" I growled.
"It seems strange men aren't welcome in other gentlemen's rooms," Claude huffed, his cheeks red. "But fear not! I'll get us out of here."
"Well, you better hurry." Cedric snapped as the door groaned under the force of something slamming into it, "Because that's not going to hold forever."
"The floor beneath us." Claude nodded, "There should be a window below this one – this who place is build like blocks on top of each other." I ran to the window, smashed out the glass with my foot, and leaned out through the curtains. Below I could see the slight sill of a lower window. I glared back at Claude, who was busy drawing something on the wall above Mayon's limp form.
"You're fucking mad." I snarled, "You can't seriously expect us to make it."
"Oh ye of little faith!" Claude laughed. He finished his work and ran to me, Cedric hot on his heels. "I'll go first. If you don't trust yourself to catch the sill, you can at least trust me to catch you."
"I trust you about as far as I can throw you." Cedric snapped.
"Good thing I'm very light." Claude winked – and he leapt out the window. I cried out, reaching for him, cutting my hand on broken glass as I leant on the sill.
"He's a dead man." Cedric groaned, "And we're trapped."
"No..." I cried, almost laughing. Below me Cedric waved, his hair flying around him in the wind, as he clung to the window sill with barely an inch of his long fingers. I watched as he somehow wiggled the window open with one hand before he snaked back inside. a moment later his head poked out and he gave me the thumbs up.
Behind us the door gave one last shriek before I heard the splintering of wood. I spun to see the lock burst and a group of Faeri Guards enter. Their eyes locked onto Mayon's body and then onto us.
"C'mon, Cedric!" I cried, "Go!"
"You can't be serious..." he began.
"Go!" I shouted, grabbing his shirt and shoving him towards the window. His arms wheeling as he tried to regain balance, he reached the window. Glancing back once more he slipped outside and dropped from view. I prayed to Mīla that Claude would catch him, before I turned away from the guards as they hounded towards me.
"Treason!" they shouted, "Murder!" I didn't reply, though I felt a shiver run up my spine the moment I was no longer facing them.
The shattered window's curtains swung in the icy wind, snow fluttering in to melt at the hearth of the fire. I leapt through it, falling down into the dark air as I left Mayon's body leaning against the wall and angry guards hovering around him like wasps. Claude's handiwork shone in black ink on the wall behind them:
Death to the Empress
Down with the Empire