Loveless/ a POWERLESS fanfiction story

Chapter 9: Brian

I get some of you all the time

All of you some other time

It's hard to rile me up, but since the Trials began, I feel that maintaining my composure is becoming increasingly difficult. Tension vibrates in the air like a string ready to snap at any moment.

All day, I've been shadowing the girl through the castle. Blair has a sharp tongue, but until today, she hasn't faced any serious threats. It's strange, considering how she manages to attract trouble. Her playful taunts and cheeky remarks could infuriate anyone, yet fate seems to favor her. It's as if someone up above has decided to shield her from the consequences of her words. I can't say the same for myself.

Instead of sleeping in my tiny guardroom, I stand in the shadows, watching the guards at the dungeon entrance. The cold night air seeps into my clothes, causing me to shiver slightly.

The dim torchlight outlines the focused faces of the Imperials. They clearly aren't expecting anyone, which works to my advantage. Their every move exudes confidence, but I know this confidence is deceptive. These guards are youngsters, having served in the royal guard for no more than two years, judging by the patches on their sleeves. One is Crawler, the other is Blink. I learned this from their conversation, which they shouldn't be having while on duty.

As soon as I shifted my focus, everything began to crack. Captain of the Guard is failing at his job, and today the General will find out. Not without my help.

The plan is simple yet complex. Kill two birds with one stone, or rather, with one precise slash of a dagger. The thought that I'm about to do something reckless pounds in my head. Completely insane. I'm going to slit the guards' throats and get into the dungeon with the prison cells. And there, in the depths of the dungeon, commit another murder.

Three acts of treason against the crown in one hour. Tonight, I'm definitely playing for high stakes.

But I have no choice. I've put off this moment for too long, and if I don't do it today, tomorrow will be too late. My nerves are stretched to the limit, and every flicker of the torchlight on the corridor walls seems filled with hidden threats. My heart beats faster, blood pulses in my temples. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my wildly pounding heart, and step forward.

But I immediately press against the wall and disappear into the shadows, hoping the guards didn't notice me. I'm forced to return to my earlier hiding spot as the corridor fills with the dull sounds of footsteps. I tense up. The world around me seems foggy, and every sound becomes unbearably loud. The creak of shoes on the stone floor, the crackle of torches, the muted conversations of the guards — all of it merges into a cacophony that only heightens my anxiety.

I press against the cold stone wall, feeling its roughness under my fingers. Dark thoughts creep into my mind about what might happen if I'm caught. What is happening? This isn't a change of guard, as the partners of these two guards will arrive only in two hours, by which time I plan to be gone. Yet something is happening. The footsteps grow louder, approaching. The heavy door to the dungeon opens with a dull creak, and a group of guards appears in the corridor, carrying something between them. In the dim torchlight, I see them carefully carrying a dark, wrapped bundle.

No. A dead body.

My heart stops, as if caught in a steel trap. If this is what I think it is, then I no longer need to infiltrate the dungeon. If this is who I think it is. But there's only one way to find out.

I exhale quietly, hoping for a lucky as Blair, and start following the guards, hugging the walls and hiding in the shadows. They walk slowly, their footsteps echoing in the night's silence. Each step resonates in my head like a hammer striking an anvil. I try to be as silent as possible, lurking behind corners and columns like a shadow following them.