Oath of Steel

21 |The Second Key|

Her gloved fingers went to graze her hidden gun, the gun she couldn't sleep if not feeling it under her pillow back at the Imperial Citadel, the first present she'd received after her parents death.

She moved her hand a bit lower, and three small cylindrical silhouettes materialized under her touch. Three bullets, only three iron death-bringers to her disposal. Two would have been enough, one for Kriston, one for this friend.

Grey tensed over her crouched form, her breaths faltered for a second at that action. He had a better view, meaning that his reaction could only mean one thing.

They were soon going to get shot to death if they would have remained in that hiding spot.

"Seems like the wind has brought us visitors, right Krinston?" They heard the man speak clearly, his voice slicing the winter night.

Splashes were heard coming from the direction of Verity and Krinston, water droplets hitting the cold cobbled ground, the only sound moving in the air.

No footsteps, nothing from that part, but Rosalynde knew the man was slowly coming close. She felt it under her skin, eager to rip out her chest and stain the ground with a daring crimson red.

She placed her ear on the wet ground, she knew he was coming close, that the wall shielding them would not have kept them safe. So she stayed still, thinking of a way to turn the cards in their favor.

The wind started blowing again, sweeping the streets as fallen leaves were thrown across the street. A benefit both Rosalynde and Grey didn't know they were in need of. The strong raffics would have aided their escape, covering the racket they would have used to entrap the two members of Verity.

The water on the ground, on the other hand, wouldn't have helped. A false step and the bullets would have trespassed their body.

"On my mark. See that wall over there? Get behind it as fast as you can." He eyed her with a look of disbelief, but kept shut. She inwardly rolled her eyes in reply, shaking her head at his reaction.

They didn't have time to dilly dally any longer. And so they waited, waited for what felt like an eternity.

A sound was then heard mere feet away from them.

It was time.

"Go!" Rosalynde was the first to duck out from behind the wall, body slamming against the cloak man, making them both crumble to the ground. She had to get the gun out of his hands, and quickly at that.

From the corner of her eyes she saw Grey successfully get behind the wall, she peaked a bit more to look as she straddled her body over man, immobilizing his hands, urging him to drop the gun to the ground.

Stupid, so so stupid.

Taking advantage of her lack of focus, the man had been able to free his free hand, grabbing a handful of dirt from the ground before throwing it to her face.

Her grin widened at that, unlike Anders this one seemed to have quite the anger caged deep inside him, that fury becoming his fuel, and his survival instincts with it. Nevertheless she didn't let go of his hand.

The man grunted in distaste, throwing his body over her as he proceeded to plant his foot over her stomach. She kept her mouth shut, preventing any noise from coming out, the impact sent her to the ground in a languid exchange of stares.

The bastard had gotten her there.

Bringing a hand to her lips she felt the blood dripping from her nose, staining her lips with that known crimson red.

"Got you," Krinston's partner seethed from under the hood, checking the state of the gun before pointing it towards her.

Spitting on the ground she returned the favor, thrusting her leg forward and kicked the gun out of his hand.