Running with Wolves

Sick

1 year later

I crouched on the rooftop, body pressed close to the tiles. I was garbed in black, meaning that I melted into the moonless night seamlessly. With detached curiosity, I watched the silhouette of the Duchess through the lace curtains. No doubt dressing for a fancy ball, where there would be an excess of food and heat.

I shook my head to disperse the thought. It was almost time. My hand ventured inside my shirt, fingers coiling round the cool metal of my gun. It brought back memories. Bad memories, of that fateful night that changed everything. A sly smirk slipped onto my face. They'd tried to break me, kill me, but they'd only made me that much stronger.

The sound of a door opening derailed my train of thought. Internally, i scolded myself. I couldn't afford to become so unfocused. With newfound resolve, I tugged the deadly weapon free. Time to move. I watched the royal blue uniforms of the guards disappear into the night. Their shift was changing, meaning that I had but a few minutes to complete my task. I lightly leapt from the roof, allowing myself to hang weightless in mid air for a few seconds before reaching out and grasping the Duchess's window sill.

I pushed the window up silently, swinging myself into the room, the lace curtains whispering my presence. The Duchess was sat at an ornately carved mahogany dressing table, affixing a delicate diamond pendant about her neck. I crept forward, battered pumps sinking into the lush carpet. At the last moment, she began to turn around. If she saw my face, I was done for. I never regretted losing my mask more.

I did the only thing I could. I crossed the remaining distance and pressed the barrel of the gun to her temple. She froze, and with one nudge she turned back to her table.
"What do you want?" She spat. Muffled thuds told me the next patrol was on their way.
"Firstly, tell them everything is fine. Or you'll be dead before you hit the ground." I hissed, not truly meaning my words. A swift nod reassured me.

"Ma'am, is everything all right in there?" A masculine voice echoed through the door.
"Yes, be on your way." She called back, authority clear in her tone. I allowed myself a small smirk. So far, so good. We waited for the footsteps to fade before I spoke again.
"Now, I want cash." My heart was thumping in my chest and the adrenaline rushing through my veins was intoxicating. The Duchess leaned to the left and pulled a draw open, removing a canvas sack that seemingly bulged with gold. One handed, I took it from her and loosened the strings around the neck. There was enough there to keep us fed for a few weeks, maybe even a month.

"You have what you want. Leave." The venom in her voice made me flinch.
"Not quite." It was Fern's seventeenth in a few days, and I wanted to give her a gift.
"My friend is turning seventeen, I want a necklace to give her. Blue, please." An incredulous look flashed over her face, but she reached a pale, unblemished finger into the sparkling mass of jewels on the table, drawing out an elegant sapphire pendant swinging on a silver chain. I caught it and added it to the sack of gold, yanking the strings tight before stuffing it down my top.

Now came the tricky part. I needed to make it out of the room without being seen, by the Duchess or her damn guards. If I went to the window I could check if there were any patrols, but I couldn't watch the Duchess simultaneously. A crackpot scheme came to mind, and the adrenaline gave me the confidence to carry it out. I spun the gun in my hand, and  brought it crashing onto her skull. The Duchess crumpled, crashing elegantly to the ground, blood seeping through her grey locks of well maintained hair.

Time to leave. I retraced my steps until I reached the window. Twitching the pristine lace aside, I looked out onto the cobbled street bathed in the yellow glow of the street lamps to see a patrol turning the corner. I ducked down, heart pounding in my ears. No shout of alarm arose, and I waited for a minute to pass before leaving.