A Song of Shadows and Starlight

CHAPTER 3- ANDER's POV

CHAPTER 3- ANDER
Entering a highly-guarded, secure mansion home to one of the most powerful men in the country, trapped inside a secure metal box is not the way I assumed this evening would play out. I still have my cane, and I'm dressed in the stadtwatch uniform. I can do this. Eden needs me too.
I sit for a moments, desperately racking my brain for an idea, a way-in, anything. Slowly, I feel the inkling's of a plan coming together. It's a rushed, desperate, stupid idea, but what can you do, I'm improvising.
I grab the unconscious soldier's hat and face-mask and dump him unceremoniously from the carriage. His body thuds off the cobble's and lies flat. Hopefully by the time he wakes up I'll be long gone, with the plague cures. I quickly pull the hat low over my eyes and secure the mask to my face. It covers my jaw and stops at the bridge of my nose so only my blue eyes are visible.
I just have to hope they don't notice I'm at least a few feet shorter than the previous soldier, and a lot skinnier. Living on the streets does that to you.

Suddenly, the carriage trundles to a halt and I hear the officer's shouting a greeting to Councilman Albrecht's private guards. It's go time.
I quickly pick the lock on the carriage gate- forgot to grab the soldier's keys- and smoothly step out of the carriage.
The convoy has stopped just outside the front gates. Albrecht's mansion looms above us, all silver stone and rich red drapes. The seal of the Delegation (An open eye with a single gold coin in the centre) is sewn into the drapes overhanging his balcony. Smokes sprays from a group of chimneys above, spewing black smoke into the air. Must use up a lot of oil to power everything in there. Oil was Surcon's saviour. Before, we were just a small, cobbled city in the centre of the Isles, now we're an industrial heartland, and ships filled with merchandise are docked ever-present in Wrenhaven harbour, bearing gifts and precious stacks of gold coin in exchange for small vat's filled with harvested whale oil. My brother worked in one of those plants, slaughtering and cutting huge whales caught out over the ocean. He'd always come home scrubbing his spotless hands from all the blood.

"Good trip Gentlemen," I nod to the rest of the convoy, trying to conceal my youthful voice.
"Sure was Gerard," boomed one of the guards who was on horseback. "We'll get a nice little bonus for our efforts, the Congressman might even thank us himself." He whispers.
I grin and let out a loud laugh.
"Excellent, excellent. Tell me, you must give me a hand with this. I almost lost an arm hoisting it in here in the first place."
"Why of course," the guard frowns stepping into the carriage. "After you."
We bend down and lift the container of cures onto our shoulders, grunting with the effort. I keep my head directed at the floor and follow the guards lead. So far so good.

I'm almost inside the front gates before I feel a heavy clap on my shoulder.
"Gerard!"
I curse silently, turning around. It's the mask, and he's staring straight into me. I force myself to stand there and stare back confidently. Confidence is everything, always act like you belong.
"Captain," I say, inclining my head. "Good trip Sir?"
"Yes Gerard. Good job in there. I'll make sure Councilman Albrecht knows of your loyalty personally. If you need anything tonight, don't hesitate to ask, I'll be wrapped with Albrecht and this little party he's decided to put on, but I can always spare a few moments for a stadtwatch man."
He's not just a mask. He's Councilman Albrecht's personal guard. I make a mental note of his face. I know everything and everyone who's anyone in this city, how do I not recognise him?
I bow my head and nod gratefully.
"You honour me with your time Captain."
I turn and quickly walk into Albrecht's estate. I can feel the man's eyes bearing into the back of my head. I need to move quickly before he decides on act on his suspicions.

I lower the container carefully onto the cobbles. Time to see if this plan works.
I let out a loud cough. The guard glances up at me, looking slightly perturbed.
"Gerard, are you alright you look like a ghost!"
I let out another cough before doubling over, letting out a series of hacking, desperate coughs. I stumble over to him and wrap my hand around his neck.
"I feel kind of.." I sputter, doubling over into his arms, gripping his belt for support.
"Goodness Gerard, what's the matter with you, get it together. The Councilman is arriving soon." He shoves me towards the dark shadows of the garden unceremoniously.
I abandon the pretence once the I'm out of sight. I pull my mask and hat off, letting my dark hair fall in an arc down my neck.

I've memorised the layout of the Mansions of anyone important in this city, and the only to the third floor is through the vents, which can only be accessed through a grate on the second floor. And how in ten hells am I going to make it to the second floor, let alone inside the building?
It's hit 8 bells, which means the guests are going to start arriving any moment. All of a sudden, it dawns on me. I can go in with an aristocrat.
First off, I need to get out of this uniform. I quickly strip off the Stadtwatch tunic and pull my clothes out the bag tied around my waist. It's not exactly royalty, but hopefully everyone will be too wrapped up in the no-doubt extravagant goings-on that normally occur at such an aristocratic event they won't notice the shabbiness of the battered robes I'd bought in a dusty alleyway off Drapers Ward. I emerge from the shadows and watch the guests come in. My gaze is suddenly pulled towards a loud shrill.
"You said you'd keep me company Abel, you promised." A woman shouts.
"I'm sorry Honey, Veronica has just called me from inside, but you have the invitation for us. I'll see you inside and I'm sure you'll enjoy the champagne." The man says as he quickly strides off towards the gates.
My eyes narrow. A perfect opportunity.
I quickly stride up to her.
"And what would have such a beautiful lady getting so worked up?" I grin at her, turning up the charm.
"What does it look like, I'm alone" she snarled with a sour face, but it quickly brightened once she looked up at my face. Exactly what I expected.
"Oh, well I guess I just wasn't enough for my date to be seen amongst such royalty."
I flash her a smile. "I guess that makes two of us so doesn't it."
She blushes and looks away. "Well maybe then we can lonely together."

I close my hears and take a deep breath, and link my arm with hers as we head towards the gate. So far, so good. The stadtwatch guard looks at us skeptically and barks for our invitation.
"Adelle White."
The guard looks me up and down, eyeing my dark dress which clearly stands out as there isn't any diamond or gold engravings on it like the rest of the attendees of this part it seems. He stares for a second, clearly expecting my invitation.
"Ah, I'm Abel. Abel Wainwright. Looks like an excellent party if I do say so myself, Councilman Penroe would never dare to have something so extravagant. Beautiful party for a beautiful girl."
My new date blushes again, and lightly runs a white-gloved hand across my cheek, and I wrap my hand firmly around her waist, making a show in front of the young guard, who's awkwardly averted his eyes.
"May we go, guard." She asks impatiently. "We're dying to get inside."
And with that, the guard nods us through the double doors, and we sweep inside the front lobby.

We spend the next hour traversing the bottom floor, drinking champagne and progressively becoming more acquainted with each other until my date is giggling loudly at everything I say and leaning a bit heavier on my arm. We attract a lot of stares, mostly from jealous girls or irritated aristocrats annoyed at our constant flirtatious giggles and clinking of champagne.
"Why the gloves, Wainwright?" she giggles. "You haven't taken them off since we arrived, and you must be dreadfully warm in them."
"I like them." I say simply. I can't tell her the real reason, that my hands are ruined beyond repair, that she's holding hands with a monster.
"You're a bit of an enigma, aren't you Mr Wainwright." she whispers into my ear. "Care to take the party somewhere a bit more private?"
She laughs and begins to pull me towards the stairs.
"I'm sorry Ma'am, you can't go up these stairs unless it's cleared with my superiors." The lone guard says blocking us off.
"Please Sir, we'll only be five minutes." She giggles and waggles her eyebrows. "I'll even let you join me afterwards if you'd be so kind."
The guard is young and fresh-faced, and he smiles bashfully. The poor kid.
"Five minutes, Lady White. That's all and then I'll have to come get you."
"I look forward to it." She says and slowly climbs the steps, swaying ever so slightly. I nod gratefully to the guard and follow Lady White to the second floor. I was so close I could almost taste it.

I've made it to the vents. Lady White was happy enough to lie on the four-poster bed I'd left her in, drunkenly switching between giggling incoherently and crying about selfish men who did nothing but use her. I guess she wasn't wrong.
I click my heels and two small knives pop out of the tips of my boots. Normally I'd leave them for a nasty surprise to anyone, but right now the cool metal in my gloves reassures me. I leave my cane wrapped firmly in my belt, It'll only slow me down. I reach up and quickly unscrew the grate in the marbled tiles (a subtle sign of serious power in Surcon, imported from Whitecliff) above me with my knives. I flick my wrists and they disappear up into the folds of my sleeves. I slide the heavy brass key I snagged off the guard while he was preoccupied with my little stunt and fold it into my sleeves too. I grip the edges of the grate and deftly hoist myself up into the grates. This should lead right onto the third floor stairs. From there, it's a straight sprint to the fifth-floor attic, which was converted to a makeshift laboratory by Albrecht after his daughter caught the plague. Surprising, I would've thought she'd be vaccinated.
That has to be where the real cures are. All too soon, I've reached the grill leading out into the hallway. I quietly pull it aside and lean out. No one in sight, time to move. I wriggle out onto the carpeted floor and begin to sprint up the stairway.
I sprint up a few stairs and grab the rail above me, before flinging myself up onto the next flight. I crash into the wall, knocking the wind out of me.
Faster.
I fling myself up the next flight.
"Hey, what're you doi-." splutters a shocked maid as I fly past here on the stairway
Dammit. I don't even have time to silence her screams, I'm already on the next floor.
Faster, faster.
All of a sudden the double doors of the lab are right in front of me. I slip the key out and slide it into the large brass knob. I could pick it easily, but I just don't time. I can already the startled cries of the maid below, screaming there's been an intruder.

The double-doors open grandly, exposing the laboratory. It's less glamorous than I expected. I'm standing in a vast, airless room. Wood tables sit dotted around the room. Empty vials line the mahogony in brass racks, while opaque blue jars hold a blue liquid I don't recognise. Blackboards with confusing squiggles drawn in white chalk surround the room. Medik's dressed in white waistcoats peer at me through their large glasses stare at me in surprise. I grab one of them by the throat and flick out a knife, pressing it into the soft flesh of his throat. Two guards overseeing the proceedings yelp and draw their revolvers, pointing them at me.
'The plague cures," I say calmly. "The plague cures, where are they?"
The medik's glance around the room hesitantly.
"Drop the knife and release the Medik," one of the guards says, advancing towards me. "Final warning or we shoot."
I laugh at that, the man wouldn't dare killing one of Albrecht's prized Medik's,
I don't have time for this.
I press my knife deeper against the man's throat. He lets out a gurgled moan as a thin line of red appears on his throat. It slides down his throat in slow trickles, staining the white of his uniform. The guards pause.
"I'm only going to ask one more time," I rasp. "The elixer's, or he dies."
One of the guards points with a shaking finger to a fridge beside me. I spin towards it, keeping the Medik in front of me.
I fumble blind with one hand as I heave it open. I quickly scan the shelves.
Plague cures.
There was one vial sitting inside in a brass holder. I curse silently. One might not be enough.

I grab it and slip it into my coat. Now I just need a way out of here.
Suddenly, the door bursts open. Guards flood into the lab, revolvers and swords drawn. I quickly count them all, keeping a firm grip on the terrified Medik. Must be at least ten of them, all armed.
The deep purple livery is consistent with the Council's private guard. At least that Overseer Captain is nowhere to be seen.
I slowly begin to back away towards the wall.
"Anyone takes another step towards me he dies.' I rasp, feeling my back back up against the fridge.
"Duck." I whisper to the shaking Medik, before giving him an almighty shove. He clatters into the fridge in front of me and flees towards the guards. I crouch behind the fridge as bullets ping dangerously close off the metal. I stay crouched behind it as I heave it towards the wall to the back of the lab.
"Surround him," one of the guards screams. "He's going for the wind-."
Too late. One last bullet ricochets and spins towards the wall. I flick my knives out of my sleeve and leap out the window, the glass shattering and lacerating my face and hands, shredding my leather gloves as I plummet towards the ground.

My hair billows as the stone around me begins to blur.
Prepare for impact. Brace. Bend knees. Roll.
The ground rushes up to meet me. I crash into the hard cobbles outside Albrecht's estate and roll a few metres into the darkness. I can hear soldiers shout as they realise I've escaped.
They'll be here soon, I need to move. I uncurl myself and try to stand. Hells, that's painful. My leg is practically useless. Blood is leaking in rivulets from gashes from the glass all over. I might've broken a rib. Or three.
I struggle to my feet. I can do this. I've been through worse, and I always emerge on the other side still fighting. I begin to limp quickly away into the darkness, they'll never find me in the dark streets, I know them better than anyone in Surcon.
"Freeze, don't take another step, a commanding voice echoes. "You're under arrest for trespassing and theft. You're badly injured, you can't run. Put your hands up slowly."
I stop and my cane clatters against the cobbles at my feet. I slowly raise my arms above my head.
It's the Overseer Captain.
He advances towards me, just within reach. I want to scream. I'm too badly injured to fight him, and he knows it. An Overseer is a worthy fight on my best day, which is why I tended to avoid them as much as possible if I could.
I take another forward, trying to put as much distance between myself and the Captain as possible,
"You move another inch and you die, you Narrow scum." he calls out. I can almost feel his eagerness to just go ahead and kill me.
I pause and relax my muscles. Blood is now pouring freely from my wounds now, pooling on the ground beneath my feet. I don't have time for this.
In one swift movement, before the man can even react, I've spun around to face him. I see recognition course through him as he notices me as the same boy from the carriage. Then his eyes widened. In the darkness of the alley, he's noticed too late the final daggers I had tucked into my belt that I've sent shooting his way, two silver glints cutting through the air faster than he could see. He groans in pain as they bury themselves in either of his shoulders. He staggers back and collapses to his knees, and the final thing I see before I turn to flee is his head slumping forward onto the blood-soaked cobbles.

I'm feeling positively light-headed now. My boots slide over the cobbles, slick with blood. I make a mental note of the direction of the Narrows, and disappear into the dark streets of Surcon.

My eyes flicker open again. I'd lost track of time. Soldiers shout and a rough barking snap me from falling back into oblivion. Wolfhounds.
I force myself to continue stumbling into the city. I think I'm heading towards the Narrows. I'd long since lost whatever direction I'd been heading. Blood has soaked into my waistcoat, and I'd ditched the guards uniform a few streets back. My eyes are slowly closing over again as blood continues to trickle into the damp grooves beneath my boots.
Stay awake, stay awake. I can't stop here.
I'd taken several twists and turns, and made sure to plod through as many puddles as possible, trying to disguise myself to the soldiers or dogs trying to sniff me out. My arm has gone numb against my chest.
The only light was the one flickering from street lamps. It's still raining heavily, hopefully concealing my tracks. The shouts had faded out. I'd gotten lucky.
Just a few more blocks. Then I can rest. Just a few more, you can do this. If I fall now, I'm dead. But I can't help it.
I hear the light patter of my boots on the cobbles, the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. The ground rushing up to meet me. And then nothing at all.