The Seventh Flame

Chapter 12

- Eira - 

Eira's face hurt. So did her arms, and her legs, and her stomach, and... just about everything else. Her fingers ached as she lowered herself down the rope that led from her room to Aideen's in the South tower. Aideen was waiting for her and reached out an arm to help Eira into her room.

"Took you long enough." Aideen teased and Eira noted that she was already dressed and ready to go, something that usually took her ages. She wore a dark, high collared shirt and tight black pants that would allow her to blend into the night. A cloak was also waiting on her perfectly made bed.

"I'm sore alright." Eira rolled her eyes, leaning against the window frame, "Lycus did not go easy today."

"I know. If I don't recall, I was actually fighting him until you barged in and ruined my chances."

"You're right, I should've sabotaged him instead."

"Yes, you should've."

"Then I would have beaten you easily and won the tournament."

"You most certainly would not." Aideen went to shove her closer to the window, but Eira step-sided and danced out of the way.

"You first, my arms need a break." Eira gestured to the rope handing out the window and Aideen didn't argue. She gave Eira a wink and dropped down the other side to lower herself down the wall.

The two of them had been doing this since they were young. Sneaking out of the tower and meeting up with Callisto in the gardens to do whatever they wanted to do. Although tonight, they were not meeting up with their sister. Callisto needed to rest, not go sneaking around in the middle of night. However, Eira and Aideen needed to vent about their defeats and brag about their wins. They wanted an easy adventure that didn't involve them looking for a lost sibling as they had been the previous weeks.

"You coming?" She heard Aideen's loud whisper and forced her body to hoist itself up and out the window. It was a long decent, much longer than the distance between the girl's rooms. Her hands were raw by the time her feet hit solid ground. They did not speak until they snuck through the shadows and past the second wall. Only when they were in the lower town did they relax slightly. There were less guards here and still people milling about on the dark streets.

They could have entered one of the few taverns in the lower town, but it was still too risky. Anyone who lived inside the castle walls knew their faces, and tonight, they did not want to be recognized. They were not stopped at the gate that led out of the castle as most would be. Eira was good friends with a guard on duty that evening, and she gave him strict instructions to let the two hooded girls pass without question.

Once free of the confinement of the walls, she looked over his shoulder and gave him a quick wave of thanks. A small nod was all she received in return.

Eira took in a long breath, for the first time in weeks, there was no weight laying heavily on her shoulders. Her sister was home, and safe, and the tournament was over. She had not won like she was so determined to do, but she was done being angry about that. All her fury drained from her body when she smashed that glass vase against the wall. The shards of it still lay on the floor, and they would stay there until the servants found them in the morning. However, out here, she was not Eira. She was not competing for the throne against her family. She had no expectations and no responsibilities. For a few hours she would let go. For a few moments, she was content with being any ordinary girl.

As long as it only lasted the night. Just because she relished in this sense of freedom, she craved the crown more.

The girls followed the sound of music until they found themselves at the doors of a bustling inn. They slipped inside and removed their hoods, surveying the area. It was a habit that both of them picked up. Every time they entered a room, they were instantly counting threats and exits. There was a man hidden in a shadowing corner that made Eira weary, there was a large group at one table, singing along with the sorry band that stood on the raised platform, and then there was another group of five men, tucked up against the wall. She also noted the back door and the rickety stairs that lead up to the inn's rooms. If needed, they could escape through the top level, out one of the windows.