Scales and Swords ✓

30: Renegades

"Alright so, how exactly do we infiltrate Cyr's gang when we don't even know who is and who isn't a rebel?" Philip asked what was on all our minds.

"Well for one, I don't think we should all crowd together," I suggested.

"Good idea," he commented. "Let's go"—

"I'm going with Brise uh, I mean Vanut Guillotine," I announced.

Rowan and Philip exchanged uneasy glances. Lucius seemed confused as far as I could tell.

"Will you two be alright by yourselves?" Philip asked.

Before I could answer him, Brise was already leading me out the door by the wrist. Her grip suprisingly like shackles. I waved goodbye to Philip, Rowan and Lucius as we left the tavern. After walking for a few minutes we finally stopped, only for Brise to turn to me and ask, "who are you?"

"Uh I'm Mo, I mean I'm December Jones," I muttered.

"Hmm, we must make people hate you," she said. "I already don't like you, so I don't think it'll be that difficult."

"Oh ok," I let out, not quite sure of how I felt about that. Then an idea came to mind. I lowered my scarf and bared my scales.

She regarded me for a moment then narrowed her eyes. "What is that on your face?" She poked my cheek and pushed her finger up my face until she stopped just below my eye. "I see."

As if on cue, I heard the first gasp. I eyed Brise. "I'm going to need you to defend me. Pretend of course."

"Do I get to kill them?" She asked, her arms crossed as she took a stance.

I shook my head in horror. "No I was hoping you could use words."

She sighed.

"Hey! Girl!" Called a burly man with tattooed biceps wearing a scowl as he approached us. All around people stopped to stare.

Brise took my hand and came to stand before me. "Yes sir?" She said to the large man.

The man nodded my way. "That your sister?"

"And what if she was?" Brise countered. She didn't have a deep or threatening voice for that matter. But she had eyes that seemed to stare right into one's soul and that could put anyone on the edge.

"How old is she? Where are your parents?" the man interrogated.

"They're dead. What do you want from us?"

"I'm not trying to harm you," the man said, his tone softening. "Just come with me."

My eyes widened. Brise spread out her arms protectively. "If there's one thing our parents thought us before they abandoned—I mean died was to never trust strangers."

"What is going on here!?" Came a new voice that roared over the murmur of the crowd. The crowd parted to reveal a castle guard in armor. He stopped before us and the man and demanded an explanation.

But the big man was lost for words. The guard stepped towards Brise, furrowing his brows. "Who is that behind you?"

"My sister," Brise replied, her tone every bit acrid.

The guard narrowed his eyes as he peered over her shoulder. "Step aside."

"Vanut, its ok," I said softly. I met the guards eye, and I immediately recognized him. But he didn't recognize me and that was good.

Brise stepped aside. And immediately as she did, the guard grabbed me by my arm and yanked me away from her. He studied my face as his countenance slowly morphed into horror. "You're coming with me!"

"No!" Brise gasped. "Not my sister! Take me instead!"

I writhed and shrieked, acting out my part, as I was being dragged away. Brise crossed her arms as if requesting my permission to kill the guard, which I suspected she would have done if I were her actual sister. In the midst of my weeping I froze, jaw dropped, shook my head and resumed weeping. Brise sighed. She sped towards us and with the full force of her body she knocked the man over, took my hand and we ran.

"Hey! Stop right there!" The guard roared. But we left him in the dust and kept going. Hand in hand we ran down the street, our feet in sync. People jumped out of our way and cleared our paths, yelling curses in our wake. But a carriage heading towards us made us take a detour.

"Throw me," Brise said.

"No, I'm not throwing you," I shrieked.

"I've survived far was than a bad fall, throw me December Jones."

I gulped. Hefted her by the arm and threw her like a piece of cloth onto the roof of a building. Considering her weight, she was as light as a piece of cloth to me.

"There she is!" I heard the guard call behind me.

As soon as the horses saw me they cried out and threw their front feet in the air. The carriage door opened and a plump wealthy man came out red-faced. I took that opportunity and climbed the carriage door, onto the carriage roof, onto a building window and clambered my way up to a roof. I searched for Brise and there she was racing opposite of me on the other row of buildings.

I searched the streets, hoping I'd find someone who'd be as brazen as a rebel to help us out. But alas I saw none. That was when the first arrow whistled past my ear. The next one, they wouldn't miss. I leaned away but my foot slipped and I felt the tug of the earth. I grabbed the nearest object, a chimney. At least that would shield me. But Brise wasn't so lucky, an arrow shot through her shoulder and she dropped.

I leapt out of my hiding place and as soon as I did, an arrow met my wrist and the pain made me loose balance and I fell as well.