Rogues

Episode 18 | At what cost

Em paced back and forth, silent tears streaming down her face. Her hands were tangled in her messy hair and the small pool in the corner of the stone room was bubbling steadily.

"Em, you have to calm down. We'll find a way to get him back, I promise." Bismuth reassured her, trying to pull her into a hug before she pushed him off.

"You know what they'll do. You know what they'll do to him!" Em screamed, backing away and clawing at the fabric of the clothes over her heart. "How am I supposed to calm down when I know what he's going through!?"

Sprite crept over slowly. "They're not going to hurt him like they did me. He's just bait to get me back. They're not bothered enough with him to do it."

"But they will hurt him if we don't get him back soon." Em corrected. "He needs our help. How are we going to get him back?"

Bismuth frowned, turning to Sunshine who was sat to the side on a small ledge. Her tail hung between her legs and her ears drooped down. The Clergy ghouls were almoust always in some degree of their human glamours so she had little control over her more ghoulish outward reaction. "Are you sure you want to be here? With us? They're not going to let you off the hook for running off like that."

The multi ghoulette signed, "Yeah, I know." She stood slowly, glancing at Em. "But Prince needs our help and the Clergy aren't going to act fast enough. Sometimes, they're too strategic and people end up in more pain because of it."

She heard a small whimper from Em and met the scared water ghoulette's gaze. She was shaking and her tears were still pouring out.

Sunshine approached her slowly, holding out her arms and bringing her into a soft embrace. "We'll get him back, Botis. He'll be alright."

Bismuth rested a gentle hand on Em's shoulder. "Well, if the Clergy's problem is that they spend too long planning, what are we still doing here? Let's get on with it."

The small ghoulette glanced up at him, tears staining her face but having finally stopped flowing.

Poppy emerged from her room, dropping her phone on her desk before closing the door behind her. "I just heard from Trudy Judy. Apparently, two of those bitches questioned her about us. They must have realized she knew what we were."

"Is she alright?" Sprite interrupted. They'd been the closest with Trudy Judy after a vision had almoust gotten them caught during a heist and she'd dragged them away to safety.

"She's fine. But she told me a few things we could use to our advantage if we want to get Prince back." They all pirked up at the idea of useful information and Poppy continued. "First of all, Santos has black witches as his security. They can sense hellish creatures so, if we're trying to get in, we'll have to either avoid them or trick them somehow. And, secondly, the ritual that gave whatever's being used to limit Prince's ghosting ability used up a lot of their congregation, so they're desperate for new members to bring their numbers back up."

Bismuth grinned. "Then we'll use that to our advantage. We'll pose as some random humans who are interested in their cause and, once we're in, find a way to get to Prince and free him."

"Well, I shouldn't come with you then." Sprite added. "Santos' two favorite pets were black witches and, if they happen to be on guard, they'll recognize me." They paused for a moment and Sunshine saw how their firm demeanor faltered. "And I don't think I can handle being back there."

Bismuth patted them on the back sadly. "Understandable. You can wait here then. Keep yourself barricaded in just in case."

"Can we just go already?" Em pleaded. "The more time we waist, the more time they'll have to hurt Prince."