Refuge In The Shadows

15.

Carys just stared. The James Naight she knew was always level-headed and collected. With his fists clenched at his sides murderously looking down at William's slumped over body, James was nothing like his usual self. Carys peeked over the edge of the roof and saw streams of guests running for dear life onto the streets of Westminster. They did not have much time left before the police tracked them down. Quickly, she ripped the bottom hem of her dress with Rhiannon and strode over to William. She tied the chiffon over his eyes just in case he awoke and could track where the base was. Before she could stand up, James grabbed her wrist. "James, we have to find the others and get the hell out of here," Carys said calmly.

"You are mine," James confessed as if he had not heard her. For all that is holy, this is not the time. Pretending he had not said anything, Carys dragged James to the stairs leading back down into the house and signaled the Hunters to go back to the base to lock William up. When Carys and James reached the floor with the balconies, they came across a triumphant Cadeyrn and Rhys standing in the middle of dead bodies.

"Carraway took arrows to the knee and eye," Cadeyrn updated them as the four bounded down the circular staircase to find Bryn and Jonathan. "The man, Carraway's nephew, is on his way back to base unconscious," Carys answered. As they neared the parlour, they heard sounds of a fight. Hurriedly, they all raced inside and joined Bryn and Jonathan in eliminating the constables. Carys ripped away the ribbon that concealed her belt and started to down men with blades to their hearts. When she ran out of throwing knives, Carys began her offensive at closer range. One of the constables put her in a chokehold for longer than she expected, cutting off her air supply, Carys used all her strength to stomp her heel into his foot. He yelped in pain and Carys wrestled out of his loosened hold to slit his throat. She stumbled away from fallen body gasping for breath and trying to clear the black dots from her vision.

It was not until James pulled her close to his body for her to lean on for support when Carys realised they had killed everyone in the parlour. James rubbed her back soothingly, then grabbed her hand as the six of them ran to one of the backdoors of the townhouse. They all escaped into the night, leaving not one person alive to reveal who had entered Carraway's home uninvited.

*****

After being ushered inside the bookshop by Wright who had just come in from dispatching orders for additional Hunters to monitor Carraway's street for another two hours, the Hunters descended down the stone steps, the events of the party finally catching up to them. The base was full of activity as the reinforcements Hunter Jones sent lodged there for the night. When they entered the common room, everyone cleared out at the sight of the six exhausted, worse for wear individuals. Carys's hair had long since escaped from its neat knot and was an ebony mess down her back. Her dress was torn to about mid-calf, revealing the boots she had on beneath. The bruises on her cheek and neck had darkened to almost match the colour of the gown. She breathed a sigh of relief of finally being back.

She collapsed in the nearest armchair and held her head in her hands, still feeling the dizzying effects of her near suffocation. A figure hovered over her to make sure she was all right, a figure she did not need to look up to discern his identity. Carys's interaction with William struck a nerve in James.

"James, I will tend to Carys." Cadeyrn said, his voice sharpened with an impending threat. Carys tilted her head up to catch her brother approaching James. Suddenly, her sight of Cadeyrn was obstructed when James stood directly in front of her. "No, please. Let me," he said desperately. The two were engaged in a silent standoff when Carys forced herself to speak despite the burning sensation in her throat. "I can tend to myself," she rasped. Carys rose her seat unsteadily and headed to the kitchen for a much needed glass of water. When she returned, five pairs of worried eyes stared back at her.