Blade(Part 3): Dusk

Chapter 23: Matilda

Septe seemed as though it was just as Matilda left it. The capital city of Skaola was still standing, at least. That wasn't why she came back, though. The second target that Queen Azia gave her, the Gryffon, was supposedly ordered to report to Septe by the Titan, whoever that was. There still was absolutely no idea to who the Titan was, but Matilda still thought a rather high ranking Peacekeeper held that title, and she could only think that it was either Apeph or Aziz. It was only a guess, but as far as Matilda could tell, only a high-ranking member would be ordering the other members around. What the Titan failed to mention in their letter to the Gryffon was where in Septe the meeting was taking place. Suddenly, as Matilda reached Septe's plaza, she heard a familiar bird's screech. It had been more than two years since she last heard it, but she recognized it instantly.

"Arn?" Matilda gasped. Catherine's falcon was perched at the top of a lamppost, staring down at Matilda through his beady eyes. For some reason, Arn had been attached to Catherine ever since she was born, and had always been guiding her when she needed him to. Catherine must have been close by.

"Where's Catherine?" Matilda demanded. Arn didn't answer her, then Matilda felt silly for even trying to talk to a falcon.

"Come on, Matilda," she spat, resisting the urge to slap herself in the face. She then heard Catherine's voice behind her.

"Mom?" she said. Matilda turned around, with her eyes watering at the sight of her daughter. It was Catherine. They both threw their arms around each other, squeezing as tightly as they could after two years apart. Matilda put her hand on the back of Catherine's head and pressed her against her chest. Nothing could have made her happier to see Catherine safe and sound, though she was less safe and less sound now that she was in Septe. Matilda quickly grabbed both of her shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"Catherine, I love you, and I am happy to see you, but what are you doing here, of all places?" she hissed.

"I was tracking the Siren here when I found you," Catherine answered. "All of Skaola's Peacekeepers are gathering somewhere in Septe today. Arn was just leading me to wherever that is. Either that, or he was leading me to you. Is Ptolemar here, too?"

"If he's tracking the other Peacekeepers, he might be, especially if what you're saying is true," Matilda guessed, then she sighed, "What you're saying must be true." She found herself thinking of what she heard in the ruins where she killed the Chimera Peacekeeper, then looking to Arn. Matilda had always wondered how Arn and Catherine were connected, ever since Catherine was born. She then found herself slapping herself in the face.

"Mom!" Catherine shouted. "What's wrong?"

"I just saw something while I was hunting the Chimera," Matilda answered. "Something about you."

"About me?" Catherine gasped. "What do you mean?" Matilda immediately regretted saying something anything about what she heard in the ruins.

"It's not important, Cat," she assured. "Let's just find the Peacekeepers." Arn took off, leading Matilda and Catherine north through the city. They both kept their heads down while they went through the entire northern district. Dark-armored soldiers patrolled in squads of ten each, with five swordsmen and five spearmen. Matilda saw Catherine's hand reaching behind her head, and Matilda grabbed it before she could touch her hood and shook her head.

"If you look suspicious, they'll kill you," Matilda warned.

"Right," Catherine sighed. They continued following Arn, all the way to the northern edge of the city, until the falcon perched himself on the edge of the roof of a small house made of sandstone bricks, with what looked like sod for the mortar.