The Rogue Guardian

Chapter 55: Burning Up

Sorry this is such a transition chapter, but stay tuned for a plot twist and some news at the end!

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"No. No." I twisted my hands together behind my head anxiously. "There's no reason they would have been caught." Of all the things to go wrong-- this couldn't have happened. My heart beat pounded desperately.

Roman walked back to the window, but he wasn't focusing on the view. When he was plotting, he looked like it. "I would advise you to stay calm."

"You would advise me -- this is your fault!"

"Yes, it is."

I hadn't really expected him to agree. "What? I mean, damn right it is!"

"Of course. We both know that had you been with them this probably would have turned out differently, and I am the reason you weren't there. But I meant what I said. What happens next depends on you and on you keeping calm."

"I know that." I was still standing there, after all. I hadn't punched anyone, issued any threats (yet) or sprinted out of the room. This was extremely calm by my standards. "But you better know Ysmay's niece was on that boat. She will expect you to help fix this." And if he didn't feel inclined to do so... we'd see if I really needed his help with knives.

He turned away from the window. "I think you better explain everything to me first."

I didn't wanted to sit and explain, I wanted to steal a boat and go running after them. But Roman had valuable resources, and I was sadly inexperienced with boat stealing, so I tried to push away my impatience. "We had a plan to sneak onto a shipment of royal weapons disguised as harbor guards and replace some of the weapons. My friend Lucien--"

"--makes irritatingly authentic-looking fakes. My assassins have come across them. How were you planning on getting your fakes on the boat, assuming you couldn't just carry them on?"

I wondered how close Lucien had come to being assassinated. "Another friend of ours--"

"Therese Verivain?"

"For God's sake, how do you know all this?"

"When we formed our alliance Ysmay filled me in on your ongoing negotiations over allying with the Cycla, and Therese's role in them. Continue."

"She was going back to the Capital today. Her departure was timed so her boat would stall on the other side of the royal delivery in the harbor, and the crates would be passed between them."

"I assume it's too much to hope your friends escaped onto her boat?"

My brief moment of hope at the suggestion was cut off by common sense. "They wouldn't have stayed on and gone with her to the Capital, they would have jumped off and swam back to the city. Unless you've been informed of five very wet rebels walking out of the Mitrove--"

"Then we can assume they've been captured and will be delivered to a prison," he concluded briskly. There had never been any real chance it was a misunderstanding. "Captured rebels will be a big break for the royals, so it'll be a high-security place, likely far from Maenar."

"I need to break them out." I bit on my knuckles, trying to think quick but clear-minded. "Our best bet is while they're still in transport. Can we catch them?"

"Transport is when their captors are most vulnerable," Roman agreed, "but you need time to prepare. I assume if you can reach Verivain, she will help you?"

"Yes, but--"

He caught the accusation before I could voice it. "No, I can't go with you. I have a Court to look after. And while I will ask for volunteers, I can't force any of my assassins to risk their lives for a faction we've been allied with for all of one and a half days."

"And what a great ally you're turning out to be."

"I didn't say that was all the help I can offer."

Now this seemed promising. His expression was more serious than before, and I felt my hopes rise again.

"Listen carefully. What I am about to tell you is--" He seemed to struggle with words for a moment, and I got the odd sense that his command to listen carefully wasn't so much about understanding what he would say but about being careful with him. "It's important," he filled in, ducking his head as though recognizing it wasn't a strong enough word. "I wouldn't tell you this if Jaden hadn't vouched for you, or if you hadn't impressed me so much last night, or if I wasn't so committed to our new alliance. But I know someone who can mostly likely offer you a lot of help."

"In Maenar?"

"No. I will give you instructions to find him in the Capital when you go to pick up Therese. First, I need to send a letter to arrive ahead of you, and you need to stay in Maenar long enough to inform Ysmay of your plans anyway. You had better go do that now, because I don't know how fast Ysmay will hear of the capture. I will have the names of any assassins who will accompany you ready by tonight." He considered his words for a moment, then added, "I have to warn you, you're only likely to get Tori."

I groaned. "Really? She hates me."

"Yes, but she wants to be considered a real assassin and this is a chance to make a name for herself."

"I'll take anyone, I guess." I wasn't in a position to be picky about backup.

"Then it's settled. Get going."

Bossy, I thought, but he was promising someone good, and pretty much everyone I could have counted on was currently unavailable to assist in their own rescue.

So I left, but a few steps outside the door I backtracked and looked back inside. "Who is this friend of yours in the capital?"

Roman looked up from his paper and pen in faint annoyance. "A former assassin. Go."

"Former assassin? If assassins are allowed to just leave, why did you have a problem with Xalva?"

"This one didn't leave, he was captured. In fact, I wouldn't even say he's a former assassin, just... an undercover assassin."

I snorted. "What's this guy's name?"

"Last name Coal -- although I believe he picked up the new surname of Blaisze. Joshua Blaisze." Without taking notice of my disbelieving stare, he added, "I suppose they thought it was a clever play on words. I think the funny part is that Joshua must absolutely hate it. Now go."

I did, if only because there was nothing at all to say after that.

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Haha wow this is a short chapter BUT I'm pairing it with the first update to Fire and Ashes in forever, which is a short story about Evvie and Liz's relationship! (What do you mean that has nothing to do with this chapter? I'm the author here, not you! I do what I want!)