Oath of Steel

4 |A Beacon of Power|

Katherine and Rosalynde had been quick and efficient in sneaking back into their quarters without getting spotted by the staff of the Imperial Citadel, climbing over the stables before crawling up on the roof as they minded their step.

Thirty minutes before the meeting started, and both of them weren't wearing presentable clothes of the occasion, especially Rosalynde – who could still feel on her skin the drying blood of the man she'd just killed back close to District Street.

Nobody knew of this meeting, nobody except for the few who'd been extended the invitation to.

The secrecy had always been kept, the attending members' names never spoken out loud, for only their codename could be uttered while sitting on those plush armchairs enclosing a rectangular table at the centre of the room.

Rosalynde's name there would change to Apostle V or 'Smiling Dame,' for even when facing death her stare would remain unfazed, the corner of her lips naturally curving upwards, smiling at the face of danger without doing it on purpose. While Katherine's name would morph into the Ivory Muse, name coming from the occupation she professed during the light-hours, posing as a member of the Imperial Orchestra, playing the harp in the far back of the rows. Ivory for the color of the robes she used during harp practice, muse for the compliment she'd received from the Empress years before entering the private lines of the first woman of the empire.

"You think everyone will attend the meeting this time?" Katherine whispered to her friend.

Rosalynde, who was in the middle of blowing off her face a strand of hair that the wind had carried with its almighty power, didn't right away give a proper reply.

After struggling to remove the lock of hair from her face, Rosalynde didn't turn around as she imposed to the other absolute silence, index finger over her lips to make sure Katherine had understood. Crouching down to avoid being caught, she laid on the same level where the roof tiles had been positioned before hearing Katherine mimicking her gestures right behind her.

Unfamiliar male voices soon filled the air, rough and muffled, the scurrying wind concealing their timbers.

"Have you any idea why they sent us up here? I really would like to know what the captain drank this morning at breakfast." Rosalynde raised her right hand slightly, curling it in a fist as she slowly started moving towards where the voices were.

She thanked her luck for a chimney blocking her view as the conversation of the two men went on.

"Rumour has it that Captain Clarence received the order from the higher ups to station a patrol of nightguards close to every roof exit. And when I say order from the higher ups I mean from Lord Sandors himself," the other guard commented, ending it with a half sneer.

Rosalynde moved a bit closer, wanting to take a better look, only to be stopped by a tiny square of rock hitting her head from behind.

Turning around she was met with a knowing stare from Katherine, silently reminding her where exactly they were standing.

Katherine was right, they had no time, the meeting was going to start soon.

After leaving Katherine and the two guards, Rosalynde decided it was time to prepare for the meeting, and after sliding down the roof and localizing her room as she took from under her cloak a rope with a hook at the end made out of titanium, securing it between two steady tiles before throwing her body off the roof and into the frigid midnight air.

The hook didn't give in, making Rosalynde breathe a sigh of relief, once again thanking her lucky star for choosing the right roof tides to use.

But that moment of relief was short-lived after she took a glimpse towards the clock hanging on the wall.