Anonymous

Chapter Three

You must have fallen asleep, or rather, daydreamed about all of the terrible events that were happening outside of the train. You conjured every possible scenario into mind. You considered what they would do to Beth. But worst of all, and it seemed more likely, you considered the plausible option that they would take all of the orphans and leave Beth to suffer without them.

And where would you be while all this happened? On a train.

You dug your fingers into the hard couch, bitter about not being able to do something. You were safe and oblivious to the world outside of the small cart. And this was where you were cursed to remain because if you ran out there and checked on the little misfit family, you would endanger them even more.

Boots landed hard against the metal grate outside the door. You sat up, hand reaching for your dagger. Your mind jumped to "Templar" but it was only Jacob, walking rather cockily into the cart, a smug git if you ever saw one.

You glowered impatiently, watching as he swept up one of the glasses from a table, knocking back the amber liquid in a quick gulp. "Well?"

"Glorious." He grinned cheekily and set the glass down. "Should've been there. I used this little darling here." He turned the bracer on his arm and pointed to the grappling hook that was secured into place. "Swept in there and took out their leader before they even knew it happened. Sent the rest scurrying." He pretended to aim the gauntlet towards the door as if he were reliving the moment.

You rolled your eyes, feeling them strain from stress. "Did they get the message?"

"Message?" He jolted with remembrance. "Oh, yes. Yes. Of course." He began to grin again, still delighted with memories of the event. "God, I love London. One can never bore of it. Far better than Crawley."

You stood up quickly and marched for the door. "I need to check."

"Wait, now, hold on." Jacob hooked an arm around your waist and tried to guide you away from the exit. "You can't just go about and ruin our plan, now can you? I'll go and see if they're safe."

You looked at him squarely. "No, I need to see with my own eyes. I need to know for certain if Katie is still alive."

"Alright." Jacob tossed his hands up then chuckle with the spark of an idea. "You'll just have to toss on one of Evie's outfits. She won't mind you taking her old one. It's barely holding together, anyhow."

You raised a brow at him. Something in his words told you that Evie would most definitely mind you taking one of her outfits. But his idea was the only valid one. It would only be for a quick trip, just to check up on Beth and to see if Katie actually made it back home like the Templars promised.

You donned the attire as quickly as possible. You weren't sure why but you felt exposed getting undressed and redressed on a moving train with a man waiting restlessly outside the door. You could hear his boots pacing even over the deafening sounds of the train's engine. You snatched up a weathered piece of cloth from the closet, tying it around your neck for a makeshift mask before heaving open the cart door.

"Finally." Jacob flashed you a glance that screamed impatience. "Shall we be off then?"

You stalked forward, following him through the various carts to the end of the train where Jacob resupplied with a shop merchant. Jacob even tossed a few items into your arms before jumping off rather clumsily, feet staggering as he regained balance.

You glowered into his back, furious at yourself for having been put in a situation where leaping off a moving locomotives was a casual expectancy. Jacob must have been used to it. He was already striding down the tracks and leaping over the side rails to the thin strip of grass below.