The Reptile's Wrath

9

 Swift heard the arguing before he even saw the house. He crouched down, putting a finger to the mouth of his mask. The others ducked into an alley while Swift continued on.

He crouched down beneath an open window, listening intently. It was the girl from before and a male voice that Swift assumed was her father.

"Those strangers are dangerous, Zoe. If they know about Zane--"

"They said they're going to take him somewhere safe! That means he's leaving. I'm going too, you can't stop me!"

"Yes I very well can, Zoe. You're ten years old. You have no need to go anywhere with anyone."

"You don't want me to go because you want Zane to get killed!" Zoe shouted. Swift could almost hear her tears. "You've never wanted Zane and you've never wanted me!"

"That's not true, Zoe. If you would listen--"

"No! I'm not listening to you! You're going to say that Zane is better off dead, I heard you and mom!"

"Do not bring your mother into this."

Swift flattened himself to the wall as footsteps pounded towards the window. Zoe jumped through, landing hard in the dirt. Swift winced and stared at her as she picked herself up.

She turned to glare through the window, but turned her gaze to Swift instead. He shook his head quickly. If she yelled for someone, it was over.

"Zoe get in here!" her father yelled.

"You can't make me do anything!"

Zoe turned around and began running, disappearing into a street between two other houses. Swift slowly peeled himself off the wall, turning his attention back to the father inside.

"That girl, I swear to Tellun. Can she understand nothing?"

Swift backed away, placing his feet carefully on the sand until he knew he was out of earshot. Then he stood and sprinted back towards the others.

"The girl, Zoe. She ran off. I think she can help us. Her parents are a no go for now though. Apparently they want Zane dead."

Their expressions were unreadable under their masks. "Lead the way then," Valor said, gesturing to Swift. "We need to hurry, before the guards catch wind of us."

"I don't think there are any guards," Bark muttered. She shivered, adjusting her cloak. "This place is near empty. I hate it."

"We'll be out of here soon," Valor said quietly.

Swift glanced back and forth before crossing the deserted street and entering the alley that Zoe had. Bark crouched down, picking up a small length of leather. It had a green charm in the middle. She held it to her mask.

"She kept going down and started weaving. The scent isn't going to last long in the wind. Come on."

Bark took the lead then, through a small maze of back streets, just like in Nilo. Swift just hoped they wouldn't find another marking. She stopped and held up a hand, pointing upward. She shed her mask and mouthed. She's up on top of this building. Swift, can you go and talk to her?

Swift nodded and narrowed his eyes at the wall. The handholds came into sharp focus, while the rest of his vision began to blur. He backed up, then leaped for the first that was easily ten feet off of the ground.

He continued scrambling up the wall, not making a sound on the rough brick. When he reached the top, he peeked over, spotting the girl sitting with her back to him. He pulled himself onto the roof's lip, perching in an easy crouch. There was a ladder here that she must have pulled up after her.