Secrets of the Crown Assassins

35

NYDIA

I'm an idiot.

First, I let Alex jump out of the window. To be fair, I didn't expect him to jump out the window, but apparently, I forgot that he was the braver one. I mean, who looks down at impending death and thinks "Oh, that looks nice!"

Secondly, I didn't talk to Indigo when everyone tried to kill her. I know. I'm a horrible friend.

Thirdly, I can't find Rupert from the goddamned Kitchens. I know I could get another rat, but I told Wolf and Indigo that I would get Rupert, so I wanted to get Rupert. I hope he didn't jump out a window.

Or that the snakes didn't eat him.

The snakes are so annoying. I keep finding them everywhere. And I mean everywhere. They keep eating all the poor rats. Couldn't they eat the cockroaches instead? And why did have to be snakes? Couldn't it have been ostriches?

Stupid diablo. He didn't even have pretty eyes and now I have to pay for being on his property.

This is why my uncle always told me not to steal things. My mom and I never listened.

So, I was walking around the kitchen, trying to find Rupert (and effectively stealing myself some more hot chocolate), when I noticed the torn edge of a drawing. It was the wing and the side of the face of a red-eyed raven in flight.

The Ravens symbol.

Why can't we have a cool ass symbol? I keep trying to hint Indigo to make one, but she's too depressed to do anything. I mean, same here, but even if I wanted to draw it come out as a bunch of incoherent lines, so I keep pretending all of my drawings are of walking trees.

Anyways, I realized that one of the creatures running around base must've torn a piece and dropped it here. Maybe it was even Rupert. And, if that's the case, maybe the Raven spy has Rupert.

So, I started walking around the base, hoping to find the Raven spy. Basically, I was looking for a person carrying a rat. Or maybe someone who had a rat problem. Which was basically everyone in the base.

I sighed, but I walked through the halls which were closest to the kitchens. Rupert couldn't have carried the paper far. The rest must've been people kicking it back and forth. I just had to guess the path of the paper and which rooms the Raven lived in.

It's idiotic. I know. I could've been doing much better things, like filling up my glass of hot chocolate, but I kept worrying about the news my uncle brought a few days, even when I was cooking. So, the only way to ignore it and not overstress is to find Rupert. And the Raven spy, if I have to.

I turned the corner and walked straight down a hall that wasn't usually used. Still, the ground was spotless. Someone's been cleaning it, but what insane person would clean something they wouldn't use?

I don't understand why people would clean at all, but some people are just weird.

Someone must've been cleaning the hall to cover up their movements. Or the slithering mattresses I saw in my dreams became true. I'm still holding out hope.

What? The baby ones were so cute. Don't judge.

Anyways, I focused on the door handles. Most were dirty or rusted, but one was clean. I twisted it and the doorknob spun. It was unlocked.

I was about to walk in, but then I realized, "Wait! That's stupid. What if the Raven spy was inside? Worse, what if the Raven spy was waiting for me with a snake?"

So, then, I waited and thought for a moment before thinking, "What if I danced inside? It would confuse the Raven spy. Maybe I could even pretend I was inviting them to a dance party."

I swung the door open.

I danced inside.

But, I forgot that I was a terrible dancer. So, naturally, the person inside swung a fire extinguisher at my head.

As I looked into the face of the person who I knew and trusted for a long time, my vision blurring, only one thought rang through my mind.

There's a snake on the ceiling.

♕ ♕ ♕

INDIGO

I knocked on Nydia's door. No answer.

After that disastrous conversation with my mother, I went straight back to my room, trying to avoid the Rebels.

I sat there, alone staring at a painting of a white rose, running my mother's words through my mind over and over again. She could've made the story up, but I didn't think she was lying.

My father pushed his sister to her death.

And the way my mother emphasized his worry when she was pregnant as if he would've done anything to me...

I shuddered. He wouldn't have.

Unable to bear my own thoughts anymore, I set out to find Nydia. I would never be able to focus for too long with her talking up a storm. Besides, I found a strange comfort in her presence.

Plus, I needed to see what she thought of what she learned. When my mother dropped the news, she barely reacted. Her usually expressive face went slack.

I knocked again on her door. When there were no sounds from inside, I realized she must've been somewhere around the base. She could've been anywhere. There was no telling how long it would take to find her, and I didn't think walking around the base tonight was a good idea.

I decided to go back to my room and try again later when I saw Wolf and Cree walking in long strides through the hall. Wolf looked calm, but Cree was the opposite. He fidgeted with his hands nervously.

Wolf met my gaze with his shocking eyes.

"We should put a tracker on you," he said, but there was no humor in his voice.

"What's wrong?"

"Your mother disappeared. Again."

Ay! Happy birthday week to me!

That sounded narcissistic. So sorry.

Anyways, I can't wait to read all of your guys's comments. It'll be my favorite birthday present :)

Also, in case any of you missed it, there was a chapter before this, chapter 34, that was also posted on Tuesday. Check that out too!

Hope you guys have a great day!

~Sreenija Paruchuri