Shadows and Steel | ✓

chapter fourteen

-14-

Swatting leaves out her face, Elle huffed as they hid behind a row of potted plants just on the fringes of the bustling market. Lorel had well and truly awoken and the morning rush in the Western Region had begun: yelling echoed through the streets as pots and pans clanged noisily. Women leant over their balconies airing out damp laundry to suspend above the streets, still managing to peer down below with frosty glares at newcomers.

The day had kickstarted for everyone bar the drunkards, who lay sprawled out on the cobbles and mud like old discarded rags from their endeavours during the night. Vomit dried on their shirts like a stinking bib and pockets empty.

Jax glared daggers at the back of her head as she sighed again, leaning against a crumbling wall. "We are not hiding, Elle. Just waiting for Mikel's man to take us to the location." Perhaps she had spoken her complaint aloud.

"Can't we wait with Leo and Kath?" Her eyes slid to the two, mingling amongst the crowds by the stalls and pretending to browse various wares. "What if I say please?"

Tristan said nothing, eyes flitting across the bustling place. Jax, amused at her attempt at politeness, snorted. "No. Kath and Leo are enough to catch their attention. Although it is a great shame to see you're wasting such charismatic potential on snarky comments and bitter sarcasm."

"Hardy-ha." She stuck out her tongue.

The pain in her joints had eased slightly but the beds in the Green Star hadn't granted her the peaceful sleep she wished for, nor the warm bath she craved. They had left the inn early, dumping their travelling clothes, still dirty despite their efforts to wash them, on collapsing doorsteps in case someone might want them.

Everything was set for the five wanderers to disappear—misting into transparency, blurring into nothing more than the colours which the world was painted in. To hide someone from existence is an art that must always be held in as high regard as swordsmanship.

And it just so happened that Mikel was very good at it.

When a merchant pulled Leo aside, waving over their fruit options he played along, but Elle noticed their mouths moving quickly and low. "Why the hell is he buying fruit?" Tristan peered into the throngs, eyes narrowing.

Elle shook her head as he nodded, grabbing Kath and sauntering back to where they stood with a triumphant grin playing on his features. "I think we found our guide."

#

Skulking just out of earshot of the main hubbub, their hooded guide waited. A mask was pinned covering their lower face, small eyes flitting between them. Elle noticed the feminine features and sharp cheekbones that seemed almost hollow. After a moments hesitation, they beckoned and briskly jogged into a labyrinth of streets.

Pulling her satchel over her shoulder, Elle creased her brows, opening her mouth to protest against following a random person, but Leo had already followed her around the corner.

They wove through the Northern Region of Lorel, to places where the light of day scarcely hit the stone due to the shade provided by spindly houses and roofs practically on top of one another. The cold air made her wish for another layer of clothing as she wrapped her arms around herself. An hour of jogging later, they had reached their destination: a dingy side street.

Her voice startled Elle, sounding young. "There's a small metal door. Knock thrice and say ychismo."

Without another word she scrambled up to the flat rooftops and skidded on the ice to neighbouring structures. Her movements were clumsy and slightly unbalanced, but something told her that in a few years time she would be a force to be reckoned with.