CH20
I woke May frantically to loud shouts and creaking of beams. She brushed it off as another fight forgetting she had canceled the fight that night. That was till the smoke drifting down the stairs reached her nose. She threw what she could in a satchel making sure to take her books. She threw her cloaks on to leave, but something was wrong. The cries were only getting louder, nearing the stairs she could hear the ring of metal. The fire hadn't reached her yet so she took a moment to become invisible. Shirting the edge of the stairs to disturb the smoke less she looked for the source of the fire at the top. The common room was engulfed in flames. She rolled a waterstone that direction but the small flow of water did little to halt the inferno, all she could hope was for it to make a path for some to escape. She turned to the not yet on fire hallway, and gasped. The few in the building at this time of night were swarmed by city guards. Geoffry and his bodyguards fought in tight formation to keep them at bay, but no more. The guards were more numerous and better armored.
May took advantage of her invisibility to trip as many as she could on the way out. She hoped this would be enough for some to escape, the increasingly hot and unstable building was lost. The spreading flames were pushing the members of the storm forward. It would not be long before everyone was captured. One man fell, losing his weapon. He held up his hands but no mercy was given. His throat was slashed and he fell limp. Others fell after him. May clamped a hand over her mouth. She needed to get out. She could not watch this slaughter. She shuffled backwards preparing to sprint. She lost her footing flipping over something. She twisted to see Reah frightened and crawling on the ground. She lost all nerve she had as something invisible rolled over her and screamed.
"Reah, it's me" May put a hand on her shoulder.
"May?" she stuttered.
"Yes, let's get out of here." she handed Reah the hem of her cloak and started to crawl to the exit. In the smoke and confusion they weren't noticed. The door outside was ajar and May sent Areon to scout. There were two more guards at the base of the stairs ready for any escapes. She heard the sickening scream of another man dying. Reah couldn't get out without being seen. She could hold two invisibility spells at once. She grabbed her wrist and hoped she had the strength. The time it took to cast was petrifying. Each second could be on where they were discovered. Mercifully Reah faded from view. They slid through the opening down the stairs. They jumped the banister at the base while I distracted the two men. There was still snow on the ground but it was already peppered with footprints; two more sets were not so noticeable, hopefully. She moved to leave the courtyard but heard the horses neighing in panic smelling smoke and seeing strangers.
She opened the doors and it didn't take any encouragement for them to sprint out. The guards took off after them. Now if anyone made it out they at least had a chance. She still holding Reah's hand sprinted the opposite direction the horses went. She ran as far and as fast as she could before the heat of the spells forced her to stop. She dodged into an alley just before dropping the invisibility. She now felt the angry blistering burn on her arm. She had been too panicked to feel it before. She took a deep breath, she needed to calm down. She wrapped her arm as best she could. She had survived worse before. They needed a plan.
"Is there any sort of safehouse the storm has?"
"That was the safehouse," said Reah white as a sheet.
"Are you ok?"
"Yes," but she still shook.
"Is there anywhere you can think of to go?" Perhaps she had a noble friend to shelter them. but she didn't answer, and a place like that would be too far away. "What about Bran's house?"
Rhea was regaining some composure. "No, that neighborhood is too close and full of city guard, if anyone is following us we would expose them. Not to mention we wouldn't be able to get there without waking those nosy neighbors"
"Where else … Albin. It's perfect, it's about halfway across the city."
"And Albin won't say anything?"
"No." he never had before.
She nodded and they put their hoods up and scrubbed off the worst of the ash on them and left the alley quietly. The trip there was uneventful. They passed a couple city guards out on patrol, but by then they were far away from the docks. A pair of young women didn't exactly raise red flags as fleeing storm members anyways. They still hurried past. It was not too long before they reached the apothecary. She skirted around the back and knocked on the door. A long wait later and Albin answered the door with a crossbow in hand. He dropped it as he recognized May and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Wordlessly he let them in. Once the door was shut he asked
"What happened?"
"There was a fire," answered Reah.
"There was a raid on the storm, more than a raid. I don't know if anyone else survived."
"Goodness."
"We were lucky to escape."
"I can see that," he put them in chairs, piling blankets on them as he restarted a fire.
He set a kettle to boil and a salve for their burns. He didn't ask any more questions to the haunted women, just gave them a bitter tea and sent them to bed in a makeshift pallet in his sitting room. I sat and watched over May as sleep found her too easily. The stress of the escape drained her. She had been chased from her home once again, but even those thoughts quickly subsided to nothing. The tea must have been a sleep aid.
She woke up the next morning later than usual but still fairly early. Reah was still passed out. She took inventory of her possessions. All her books were still there along with a few herbs, potions and odds and ends. It didn't matter that she lost everything else as long as she had her books. She took out the book of Oengus Beli and put it in her pocket. What would have happened if it had been left behind. The enchantment on it prevented it from being destroyed. They would no doubt find the spotless book amongst the rubble, then those wizards would have earth changing spells. She shuddered, but it was still with her and she would keep it safe.
She shuffled down to the shop only slightly sore from last night's sprint. Albin was in the store room making a tincture.
"Feeling better?"
"Yes, thank you."
"It's strange everything is pretty quiet but I don't think you should go out for a while."
She sighed, how had this happened? Tiernan was the one who ordered this, but how did he know she was part of the storm? However he got the information, his plan was brilliant. No one would or could object to taking action against a criminal organization. But it was the city guard that came, he didn't have control over them did he. Even if Tiernan had nothing to do with this he could easily take those that escaped. He got a supply of people to imprint. It was all too convenient for him not to be behind it. The question was how had he found everything out? They shouldn't have broken into his home. As badly as they needed his plans, it both provoked him and gave him a valid reason for action.
"Are they looking for a woman of my description?"
"Yes, there is an extra large bounty for a woman from the south. It doesn't mention the storm and didn't appear to be posted by the city but it was a large bounty definitely meant for you."
"Yes." It was dawning on her how miraculous it was they escaped, but more importantly how had they found the warehouse and know she was part of the storm. The only person she could think of was Rhys. He was a city guard after all.
"Here, help me separate these." he handed her bundles of lavender to split into individual stems and continued seeing she was still brooding, "What's done is done,focus on how you're going to survive not why it happened."
"I don't even know if my other friends are safe."
"They are probably fine."
"I'm just worried they will do something stupid."
"You are supposed to be counting those into bundles of ten."
She looked at the ratsnest she had created and focused on unweaving it, and properly organizing them. She let the simple work lul her mind into not thinking. It was still early, too early for the shop to be open, when chimes tinkled as the front door opened.
"Where is May?" asked an irritatingly familiar voice.
"Rhys, are you alright everything has been crazy." said Albin
"We were supposed to meet today. Has she come by this morning yet?"
She stood up enraged. How dare act like nothing happened. How could he be so bold? He was the only one who had all the information needed. The warehouse location, the fact she was part of the storm, even the break in he knew it all and he had told them he was nothing but a fool, he probably was clapping himself on the back for catching them in the act. Did he not realize he was helping Tiernan doing this. She was so stupid to trust him she should have listened to Bran. She marched out to the front, not thinking how stupid she was being.
She stomped right up to Rhys and slapped him. "How could you?" she hissed
He looked hurt and confused, this only angered her more. He couldn't be playing dumb "I don't know what you are talking about. No guards came near the ambassadors. I am the only one who has been on assignment there for the past few days."
"That is not what I am talking about."
"What?"
"Don't play dumb."
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"I'm talking about the city guard ambushing the storm as soon as the heist was over. Who else but you could have told them. I thought you were smart. Don't you realize this is just an excuse for Tiernan to take more people for his dark magic."
"I didn't tell anyone."
"And don't you realize this head hunt will allow them to take more witches in the name of cleaning up the storm?"
He didn't say anything.
"Is this what you wanted, was it your plan all along to witness a crime, and get all the information you need to go after them. Do you know how many were killed? They burned down the warehouse and blocked the exit. They couldn't escape, and now the ones that survived are going to be easy pickings for Tiernan."
"What are you talking about? The city guard haven't made any moves. I may not be a higher up, but even I would hear about something of that scale. And why would we burn the building down that could set the city on fire."
She pounded on his chest plate "Don't lie, they were wearing your uniform, and now there are bounties on the street."
"What is going on?" he scratched his head "I'm sorry this has happened but I promise it wasn't me." he spun around to leave "I will go figure out what is going on."
She didn't stop him and sighed, she squatted and rubbed her temples not knowing what to think.
"If what he said is true," said Reah, coming out to the front "and I think he is being truthful things just got much worse."
"What could be worse?" she said wearily
She sat next to May, "those were Tiernan's men."
"What?"
"Well, even a mage needs numbers to hold a place."
"So they aren't city guard."
"No they probably are, a skilled negotiator like him probably convinced someone that the green tower should have its own force and he kept it quiet while he was forming it."
They gathered back away from the storefront.
"And they were allowed to move, because we broke into his home?" She sighed.
"Most Likely, but with how fast he moved He had likely been preparing this for a while."
"Right now all I have are a few letters talking about acquiring a spear for the blue sashed man. And they are too nebulous to prove that he is talking about the king's spear. But why is Tiernan doing this? He must also have something against the king."
"Who would hurt the king?"said Rhys. They jumped not hearing Rhys come in.
"Who do you think?" said Reah, "who have we been watching amass power?"
"Tiernan?"
"Yes," Reah stood "I need to write to Lord Averell. He might believe me and is close enough to the king to warn them." she disappeared back upstairs.
"Um, I promise I didn't tell anyone," Rhys apologized.
"I believe you, everything just happened so suddenly. I wasn't thinking straight."
"I just learned about the raid. They are guards, but they are different. They are green tower guards. I thought they would never do something like that but …" he trailed off. "But if what you said is true I will do everything in my power to help you."
"You need to make sure May isn't found." said Albin, "Keep them away from here, we need time to make a plan."
"Albin you don't have to help, I know I put you on the spot showing up last night. We will find another place."
He shook his head "We have all been affected by this, I will play my part too even if all I can offer is a place to stay."
"Thank you."
"Too many have been affected for him to get away with this," said Rhys.
He was right, no one here hadn't been hurt. Together they would find a solution. "Rhys, can you find out where they are keeping those they captured?" shivered there wouldn't be many from last night but, "I don't know if you can but try to stop them from going to the tower."
"I will do what I can."
She sighed as Rhys left. The day was starting and Albin had to run the shop. The more normal things seemed the better. She was left alone with Reah still upstairs writing letters. She turned her attention to the blank notebook. She needed to lift the enchantment; whatever lay hidden inside was the proof they needed and the plans they needed to stop. Despite everything they knew they had precious little proof of their actions. Certainly not enough proof to condemn two elders of the green towers.
She spent hours trying to break it or even just understand the nature of the spell. This more than anything else impressed the strength of Tiernan on her. Breaking spells was always easier than setting them yet she couldn't make it budge. His lifetime of education also gave him a leg up over her. He used a variety of spells she had no experience with. The ward type enchantments stumped her particularly. It was not a school of magic she had ever learned. She sat late into the afternoon working on it. She had made progress but it was too small for her to tell. She was hot from pouring her magic into the work. A headache blared in her temples but she didn't stop.
She spent hours trying to break it or even just understand the nature of the spell. This more than anything else impressed the strength of Tiernan on her. Breaking spells was always easier than setting them yet she couldn't make it budge. His lifetime of education also gave him a leg up over her. He used a variety of spells she had no experience with. The ward type enchantments stumped her particularly. It was not a school of magic she had ever learned. She sat late into the afternoon working on it. She had made progress but it was too small for her to tell. She was hot from pouring her magic into the work. A headache blared in her temples but she didn't stop.