Bronze Embers

Bronze Embers chapter 4

Chapter 4

~Ion~

Slipping through the crowd was easy. I'd done it hundreds of times before and this time I had probably the best distraction ever. A man on stilts moved over head and the crowd oohed and Ah' d. I smirked and felt my fat pockets. Gordon would get his medicine, and hey, maybe I could get a hot meal.

Two quick whistles sounded in the near distance. My blood ran cold and I subtly lifted my gaze towards it. I could just make out Ines's silvery hair and... Ward. My heart sank and I quickly eyed the nearest bridge. Fortunately I was on the opposite side from Ines so there weren't any guards posted by me yet. I gave one last glance back. Ines was dashing for Notre Dame, Ward and a fleet of guards hot on her heels.

"I'm sorry." I breathed before moving to the bridge. Gordon needed me. Still...my heart hurt as I left my friend and mentor to her fate.

_______

I had never been so grateful to be Romani. The Feast of Fools seemed to be run by Romani folk. Nobody glanced my way as I headed for our hideout. It was nice to not have to keep on high alert lest I lead an enemy straight to us.

*Slam*

The door sounded behind me and I began emptying my pockets.

"Ion? Ines?" Gordon grumbled sitting up from his bed.

"Just me buddy." I answered before taking stock of what I'd nabbed.

"Where's Ines?" He asked.

I paused for a moment searching for the words. "She's..." my face fell and I met his gaze.

"No." He breathed.

"She's ok. She's in Notre Dame. I think ...she was able to claim sanctuary." I reassured him.

"I TOLD YOU! I told both of you!" He hissed, his eye blazed into mine. It was nice to see he could give such a look even with one eye.

"I know Gordy." I soothed.

"You just left her there?!" He grunted.

"What else could I do Gordon?" I defended myself. "This was the plan! She whistled twice. There wasn't anything I could do. And I-" I paused.

Gordon's gaze softened.

"...You need me more than she does." I finished.

Gordon sighed and slumped forward. "You're right... I know you're right."

I sat beside him. We lingered a few moments in silence. Our situation weighing on us. Where do we go from here? Ines was our mentor, she always knew what to do next. We hadn't been on our own yet. Not really anyway. She'd tried to send us out on our own after Willow died. She'd been so devastated, foolishly she thought she was cursed, that everyone she cared about was doomed to die. Obviously she wasn't in a good headspace, so Gordon and I had followed her from a distance. We knew she'd need us, unfortunately we ended up needing her first.

"What are we gonna do?" Gordon finally broke the silence.

"We've been in tough scrapes before. We'll figure something out." I reassured him.

Gordon raised an eyebrow at me. It looked a bit grotesque with his bandage.

"Alright maybe not tougher than this...but Ines trained us well. We can do this. We just have to think." I continued.

Gordon chuckled. "You kinda sound like her." His voice had no mirth.

"Yeah yeah." I patted his back before standing back up. It wasn't the first time someone had made the comparison. I was often teased back when we were still a part of Ward's crew for being Ines's star pupil. It bothered me when I was younger, It bothers me less now.