χαρμολύπη | K. Brekker

seven

Darkness overtook the sky, stars shining down on Cecenia and Inej. The air was clear, but thick with anticipation as the two sprinted across the large roof of the building with held their target. Their footsteps were nonexistent as they moved, every step they took calculated and completely thought through. The two girl's knew that messing up on this heist was not optional, so, they wouldn't.

The darkness which surrounded them concealed them like a blanket as they ran, their breaths shallow as the brisk air of the nigh exposed the air blowing through their nose's only slightly. The two girl's didn't stop as they watched the lights go out. Cecenia's eyes narrowed slightly as she pulled her mask up over her nose, concealing every inch of her besides her eyes was her dark black clothing. Her hair was pulled up up of her face and out of the way like usual, the brown waves seeming to always get in her way.

Cecenia led as she vaulted from the roof and onto the stone which surrounded the glass dome, her breath coming out in labored puffs of air as she looked back to find Inej flying through the air. Climbing up over the stone railing, Cece gave Inej a slight nod, the two girls springing into action. They removed a window pane with ease, their skillful fingers working swiftly through the dark as they prepared the rope. Inej went down first, Cecenia scanning their surroundings once more before sliding down.

The archives room was eerily quiet, the darkness giving Cecenia and Inje comfort as they landed noiselessly. 

Inej motioned toward the small glowing spots on the floor as Cecenia landed, Cece nodding as they began to follow them. The Shadow stayed up right as the Wraith kneeled down, pulling the blueprints out quickly. Inej was the copy maker out of the two, Cecenia being a bit more clumsy with the ink than the Suli girl most of the time.

As soon as Inej had placed the blueprints back where they were settled prior, Cecenia helped her up the two making brief eye contact as then began walking back toward the rope. Cecenia began climbing up gracefully, getting half way up before hearing a slight noise from below her. Looking down, she found Inej about to climb up only to stop at the light which suddenly appeared. 

Inej sprung into action quickly, slipping the copy of the blueprints off her shoulder and throwing them up to Cece, the Shadow catching them with one hand as she slung them over her head. Cecenia gave Inej one more nod, the silent communication doing them well before she began climbing once again. As soon as she climbing back through the window pane Inej yanked the rope down, Cecenia giving her one last look, one of longing for her safety, before turning and jumping off the stone floor. 

She landed on the roof below with a soft thud, her ankles stinging as she willed herself not to roll to absorb the impact. She knew if she were to get the copy to Kaz wrinkled, he wouldn't be very pleased with her. As soon as she stood to full heigh she took off in a spring, tightening the strap of the parchment holder quickly as she gracefully ran across the roof. 

As Cecenia reached the edge of the flat roof, she jumped off. Turning mid jump she caught herself on the edge, her feet landing against the wall she she immediately found holds within the cracks of the gorgeous carved stone. 

When she felt her grip steady slightly she began scaling down the wall, her movements quick as she fought against gravity which was desperately fighting to drag her down. The grip her fingers were providing proved to beat gravity once again however. 

As soon as she was close enough to the ground Cecenia pushed off the wall, allowing herself to fall toward the grass. Landing in a crouched position, Cece began making her way toward the meeting point, her back pushed up against the stone as she quietly maneuvered around the light which would hit her if she made one wrong move.

Her thoughts were flooded with what had happened to Inej, but she knew that dwelling on them would only make her side tracked which would ultimately result in her messing up. In her disappointing Kaz. Neither of those things were allowed.