The Fire Eater: An Inkheart Fanfiction

🔥 Infiltration 🔥

Later that night, when the celebrations had died down, Dustfinger stepped warily into the hall of the silver palace. He crept across the floor on bare feet, his footsteps silent. He hoped Basta's group had made it to the randevu point unnoticed. Otherwise, it would mean chaos. Dustfinger's eyes searched the darkness before him and darted at the shadows, wide with caution. Maalik walked beside him, quiet and uncomfortably still; his dark eyes shining with anticipation. They moved slowly, watching for guards.

As they descended into the dark stairwell, Dustfinger traced his hand along the wall. Tingles ran up his arm. This was it. He fingered the tools in his jacket. The door was thick and dark. He neared it cautiously, his pulse screaming in his ears. His hand shook as he felt for the lock.

Despite how meticulously Capricorn had laid out their plan, Dustfinger couldn't help but feel anxious. Shapeshifters were rare in Argenta. A being that could transform into anything was unpredictable at best.

Basta and Firefox joined them in the cellar before the vault. They exchanged silent nods, and Dustfinger got to work.

His fingers brushed against metal and his nail scraped against the key hole. He wet his lips and put away his knife, pulling out his tools. They clinked together, and he cringed at the noise. He exhaled, closing his eyes briefly and steadying his trembling hands. Maalik moved closer to him and pointed his blade at the door.

Dustfinger placed a hand over the lock, feeling the mechanism against his skin. He pinched the tension wrench and pressed it into the opening. The pick's movements traveled through his fingers. The lock was more complicated than most he had dealt with. It must have been expensive to make. Whatever they kept behind this door they did not want to lose. Or perhaps whoever they kept was trying too hard to escape. He shivered. The lock clicked, it was open. He nodded, and they lifted their weapons, ready for anything. Dustfinger gripped the handle, took a deep breath, and pulled.

It was empty.

They rushed inside, the cramped space fortified with walls of stone. Dust covered the wood floor and cobwebs strung from the ceiling. A tattered blanket lay discarded in the corner next to an empty bowl. But no one was there. In the corner of his eye, Dustfinger thought he saw a small animal scurry from the room. 

"I don't understand," Firefox hissed. "Isn't this the right place? Or is there a different cellar we didn't know about?"

"I don't think so," Maalik whispered, inspecting the filth on the door. He wiped a finger on the wall, removing a layer of dust. "This room hasn't been used for years. They must have been misinformed." He held up the tip of his finger to Dustfinger. "Hey, Dustfinger, it's you."

Dustfinger rolled his eyes, stooping to inspect scratches on the inside of the door. The small claw marks gouged the thick wood and marked the stone as if an animal had been trapped and desperate to escape. 

Firefox walked in a circle and then stood by Basta's side. "Do you think this could be a trap?"

Basta shook his head. "Unlikely." He turned and curled his finger over the trigger of his crossbow. "It was here. But it's either been dead or missing for some time now."

Dustfinger stepped back, his head spinning. Missing? A knot formed in his stomach. His lips paled, and he grew suddenly dizzy. His thoughts raced, images flashing through his mind. He stumbled back, the tools he held dropping to the floor. This place. This room...

He pressed a hand to his face. His lungs burned, and he gasped in pain. He couldn't breathe. He tore off his mask, desperate for air. The room spun around him, blurring his vision. His head seared. He lurched back towards the door.

"Dustfinger," Maalik said, his voice hushed. "Are you alright?"

Shouts echoed through the hall. "Weapons out." Basta's voice rang loud in Dustfinger's ears. "We've been discovered."

Dustfinger grappled for his knife and his fingers shook. They rushed from the vault and ran for the hall. A girl screamed in the distance. Metal rang followed by heavy footsteps.

"It's Capricorn," Maalik said, moving towards the sound. "He needs our help."

They spilled into the main hall. Capricorn stood in the center of a ring of soldiers, fighting them off with surprising agility. Firefox dove into the fight, beating back soldiers with his fists and knives. Basta shot the rest down with his crossbow, and Dustfinger winced as their bodies hit the floor. Panicked servants ran past them, the hall ringing with shouts and cries. Dustfinger watched the chaos around him, dazed. A girl sprinted across the room, red hair spilling across her back. 

"That's the shapeshifter!" Capricorn shouted, pointing after the girl. "After her!" 

Basta raided the pockets of fallen soldiers as Maalik and Firefox ran after the girl. Dustfinger moved to join them, running down the narrow hallway. A side door opened, and a large guard stepped in front of him, blocking the way. Stumbling back, Dustfinger drew his knife. He glanced behind for backup, but Basta and Capricorn were gone. He cursed them under his breath, but there was no time to formulate a new plan.

The guard yelled and swung his sword towards Dustfinger. His quick reflexes kicked in and Dustfinger blocked the blow with his knife. He ducked out of the way, keeping his back to the wall. The guard regained his balance and struck again. Dustfinger blocked the blow again, but his knife slipped. He sidestepped, then winced in pain as the sword grazed his arm. The guard knocked the knife from Dustfinger's grasp and he grappled for his spare. Before he could recover, the guard kicked Dustfinger hard in the gut, making him double over, before striking him over the head with the butt of his sword. Pain burst through his skull and he collapsed. The cold stone tiles pressed against the side of his face and darkness took him.