Life From Your Lips (Ruby Rose fanfic)

TWENTY-ONE (Iselen POV)

A/N: new amazing cover by the very talented @Sakositelkukmak

"Here, where?" Ruby looks around, confused, while I try to stay behind the pedestal where Isis' statue is standing, lowering my head and holding the glasses so they don't fall on the floor since they're too big for me.

"In the room next door, talking to Mr. Ellin... I think she hasn't seen me..." I whisper while the princess frowns, perplexed.

"But that woman has red hair..."

"She's dyed her hair to deceive the police as Slitine advised her, but that's Lara, I'm pretty sure of that..."

"Fuck, I think you're right..." My boss turns around, pretending to be admiring the statue even if Lara doesn't know her and won't be able to point her out as an impostor. However, if she sees me, that could ruin all the police efforts, smugglers would escape with their booty, we'd be in great danger and would lose Isis' statue. I still can't believe that the Goddess has broken so many cosmic rules so we can save her stone ass, there're thousands of artifacts representing Isis all over the world, in museums and private collections, and I don't understand why this one is so special for her. "Why didn't Tréville warn us?"

"Maybe he doesn't know or he's following Farouk, maybe he believes Lara is still in France and she's blonde... We need to get out of here discreetly..." Miss Freedman is talking to her boss and our enemy, pointing behind her with her thumb, at Ruby and the statue, but luckily, they remain in the other room while a waiter gets closer to them carrying some glasses of champagne. "I think your new friend wants to impress Lara introducing her to Lady Campbell and her assistant... that's a bad idea."

"She's not my friend but you're right, we have to get the hell out of here now and besides, I bet Tim is worried and he'd be capable of storming into this building to help us... Fuck, I can't believe I have to leave Isis here..."

"Meri," I whisper quietly, looking at the statue out of the corner of my eye. I could swear she's watching us and smiles nervously, as if the stone were aware of what's happening around her... or maybe I'm going crazy, definitely. "We know they have her and will come back to save her, Tréville won't let them escape with all those works of art, we have the pics I've been taking to prove their crimes and they'll be arrested... but that won't happen if they catch us right now. We have to leave this building as soon as possible."

"All right, but we can't escape through the same door we came in because we should walk very close to Lara and I already told you, those glasses and the governess suit don't work... Lower your head," my princess grabs my arm harshly and pulls taking advantage of a couple that got closer to take a look at the statue, we use the guy's broad shoulders as a shield to hide behind them and move closer to the wall, walking behind a waiter and hiding behind three women who are staring at a baroque painting that looks like something out of a Spanish palace.

"Is that a Zurbarán? Oh my God, these jerks have some high quality masterpieces here... This is amazing..." Ruby pulls my body hard towards a side door before growling.

"Babe, it's not the right time to freak out..."

"Where are we going?" I ask out of breath but calmer now that I know we've left Lara behind with our hosts and they can't see us, I remain on alert, though, looking at the floor and letting my precious girl guide me.

"I told Marian I'd have another glass of champagne," Ruby whispers walking in the room where Roman artifacts are displayed, dodging urns and sculptures. "Watch the waiters' movements, I'm sure they haven't brought all those bottles and canapes through the main door... I bet this factory had a back door."

"I don't see anything like that," I answer watching boys and girls wearing white that go to the bar counter to fill their trays with glasses and wander around among guests. Minutes tick by and I get increasingly nervous standing in a corner while Ruby drinks slowly and hides me with her body: if Lara catches us, we'd be in great danger judging by the pit bull faces of the guards. "Right there, behind the bartender."