Cardan and Jude

Rescue (And Worrying)

The front door is open when I return home in the early hours of the morning after my shift with Ravus. Instantly, my heart rate picks up and I settle into the familiar feeling of just edging over into an adrenaline rush. All my weapons are in my room except for a small dagger I have bound to my thigh. I flick it out of its case and hold it in front of me, ready to kill.

Inside, the house is deserted, though the TV is still playing kids cartoons from when Oak left earlier.

'Vivi? Oak?' I hiss, not wanting to alert an intruder. I listen for the telltale shuffling of footsteps or harsh breathing but there is none. I'm alone. 

There's no sign of a struggle and nothing's broken. Vivi's coat is gone from the hangers in the kitchen but other than that, it's a curious crime scene. If there is even a crime. Maybe it's my overactive imagination from the last couple of hours. I've convinced myself that something is direly wrong and it's most likely that Vivi took Oak out for dinner and accidentally left the door unlocked. But if it was dinner, then why haven't they returned? It's nearly twelve o'clock at night. I do a sweep of the house and find nothing else suspicious. 

What is going on? 

The letters are still strewn across the island and I screw my face up against the tense, uncomfortable feeling that comes with the memory. Though Vivi told me why she would do it, I'm still having a hard time processing that these letters even exist. 

I move through into the living room, switching off the TV. Everything as it was this afternoon. In Vivi's room, her knife and bow are gone with only a few handmade arrows left in her cupboard. She's gone out with weapons...

After sweeping the rest of the house I come back to the kitchen and get a glass of water, trying to discern what's going on. I'm overly anxious by this point and accidentally slam the glass back down on the island a little too hard. It shatters and a shard grazes my palm. I hiss and jump away from the mess, blood already running in small scarlet rivulets down my wrist and forearm.

'For sprite's sake.' I mutter, pressing the shallow cut closed. I rush into the bathroom and fumble for equipment to patch myself up.

The front door slams open and someone batters in, breathing heavily.

I finishing tying off the bandage around my palm and hurry out back to the kitchen.

Vivi stands gasping, clutching her bow, no arrows left in the quiver slung over her back.

'Where the fuck have you been?!' I cry, running to her and grabbing her shoulders.

'Where's Oak?' I ask, looking out the door and not seeing the pointed ears of my brother.

'Jude, it's -it's Cardan.' Vivi puffs, 'He took Oak when he- he was down at the creek with Thomas. Thomas too, his parents are worried sick.' 

'Have you been trying to get them back?' I push.

'What do you think?' She says, gesturing to the cuts and bruises down her arms and across her face. 'He's got a whole fucking camp out in those woods with soldiers and fae. They're having a revel and Thomas and Oak are at the center of it all, tied up on a pike.' 

I think hard, trying to come up with a solution. 

'He's capture Oak to make sure he stays High King.' 

'What? Fuck. What should we do?' Vivi says.

'I'm not getting into this now, I need to go rescue Oak.' 

'Jude wait!' Vivi cries, grabbing my arm as I starting running to get my weapons.  'Taryn and Locke are there too. Think wisely on your approach. And let me get my stuff.'