Resist

42

Essie's POV

Nessa had explained her plan, a simple yet risky trick on the soldiers. If all went to plan, we would be out of this hall and a few more Xave would be dead. If it went wrong, we may be the ones dead.

"Everyone ready?" Will asked, his scimitar unsheathed and in hand, the same as me. Andre had his double-edged broadsword out as well, and Nessa the light falchion she had recently been trained to use.

We each nodded silent yes's and then Will said "Go!"

A cacophony of noise followed immediately, Will banging his sword against the wall, hitting the flat of it so as to not dent the blade, and I the same. Nessa's falchion rang against her small shield and Andre hit the hilt of his heavy sword against the door, like the knock of a giant awaiting entrance.

We kept this up for half a minute, long enough for someone to notice and locate the noise. After a prearranged hand signal from Will (him swiping a hand in front of his neck as if he were slitting it) we ceased our actions.

"Think it worked?" I asked, listening carefully for the rhythm of rushing footsteps or the call of soldiers.

"I don't see how anyone could have missed that," Andre said, an ear pressed to the door. "The real question is if they'll come."

Another quarter of a minute lapsed, awaiting some sound to indicate that Nessa's plan had succeeded. Suddenly, Will perked up, his head tilting to the side like a dog hearing a whistle. "Someone's yelling," he announced.

We all listened then, holding our weapons at the ready in preparation for phase two of the plan. I threw the scimitar into its scabbard and pulled the bow from across my body to nock an arrow. I could faintly make out a voice carrying through the castle. "Intruders! Intruders!" They called. I wondered how they knew we weren't supposed to be here. I suddenly worried if this had been a mistake.

Footsteps sounded then, a rush of movement from nearby. "What was that noise?" a voice yelled as booted feet came nearer.

"Where are the intruders?" Another asked. More questions followed from more voices, utter confusion apparent on the part of the soldiers. I was beginning to be confused too.

Keys jangled outside the door and my eyes locked with Will; this was it.

Brody's POV

We had searched the barracks of the Xave, on edge around every corner and upon the opening of every door. With perhaps the most dangerous hallway to sweep, I had felt sure that if a group were to be caught, it would be us. But miraculously, we had come out unscathed, talking ourselves out of a couple close calls and maneuvering undetected from the wing of the castle that housed the Xave.

"What do you think is upstairs?" Demetria asked as we stood before a stone staircase, a spider-webbed one hidden away. When the queen had been here it had probably been for the servants and maids, it's narrow width and hasty-looking construction telling me it had been of little importance to the original builders of the castle.

"Bedrooms perhaps," I threw out, really having no clue. "We'll just have to see."

I lead the small group, Jeremiah second with John, Peter, and Demetria behind us. Our footsteps echoed in the enclosed space, the soles of our boots ringing off the stone and with nothing soft to absorb the noise I felt as though we were announcing our presence to the whole building. I reminded myself that we were disguised as soldiers as I put my foot on the top step, hauling myself onto the small landing that sat before a door that led into the second floor of our assigned wing.

The black tips of my wings brushed the walls as I half turned to the group. Ready?" I asked, putting my hand on the cold, metal knob and preparing to turn it.