The Way We Fall

Chapter 57 (Roche)

Roche pressed the palms of her hands into her eyes until she saw stars. "I can't do this!"

"You can, you just need more practice." Verita insisted, holding up the still unenchanted dagger. Roche opened her mouth to reply when alarm bells began to clang loudly. Roche jumped to her feet, scrambling to the windows. She could see a cluster of Silvian grey cloaks gathering, weapons and torches hoisted.

"No, no, no." Roche cursed, flipping through the spell book. "I need more time."

"There is no more time!" Verita wrenched Roche away from the book roughly, her withered fingers biting into Roche's shoulders. She shook her harshly. "You must go."

"But I'm not ready." Roche pointed to the unenchanted dagger.

"If you don't try now, there will be no other option other than failure." Verita snapped. Roche swallowed, the truth of the words dawning on her. The Atrex would stop at nothing until it found her.

She couldn't let more people die.

She grabbed the dagger, as useless as it was, and bolted for the door. The halls were filled with confused nobles, bustling maids, and shouting knights directing people to safe places. Roche stuck to the shadows and barrelled down the hall, swerving around terrified people until the crowd thinned. Just when Roche thought she was safe, she turned the corner and promptly collided into two other people.

A tray clattered to the ground loudly at the same time Roche dropped her dagger.

One of the two figures cursed, and she recognized that voice.

"Kai?" she asked, dumbfounded.

Kai blinked at her in confusion. "Roche?"

They both turned to the third person. Roche gasped. "Ivie? Aren't you supposed to be in a cell?"

"The princess let me out. She's going to get herself killed. I'm going to help." Ivie panted. Her dark skin gleamed with sweat.

Roche raised a brow. "With no armour? Or weapons?"

"There's no time!" Ivie grumbled. Roche sucked in a breath, turning to Kai.

"And, pray tell, what are you doing out at this hour?" she asked. Kai's cheeks darkened with a blush.

"I thought I'd see Finn and give him a snack. He's not doing well." he frowned at Roche, "You?"

"Same as Ivie." Roche swallowed, "Tigris is going to get herself killed. I'm going to help."

"Both of you, stay inside. I'll find the princess." Ivie said quietly. Roche snorted.

"The princess needs all the help she can get." she argued, crossing her arms.

Ivie watched Roche carefully for a moment before nodding. "Alright, let's go."

Kai glanced between them both. The alarms had increased in volume and pitch, grating on Roche's ears. "You're taking Finn's warning seriously, then?" he asked. Roche nodded, and he sighed, "Well, then you can't go out there without armour. Or weapons."

"We have to go now." Ivie said sternly, looping her hand around Roche's wrist. Kai bit his lip for a moment before beckoning for them both to follow. He charged down the hall towards Finn's chambers, throwing open the doors. He made a beeline for a large cupboard.

"I only have one set. Aodh might have another, but it'll take extra time to get there." Kai explained, holding out a sword that must've been Finn's. Roche nudged Ivie towards it.

"We both know you're the better fighter." she whispered. Ivie nodded, taking up the sword easily. Kai and Roche slipped on some extra armour plates onto the knights before Ivie insisted she was fine and that they really had to go. Her urgency wore on Roche's already frayed nerves. As Roche went to follow, Kai grabbed her wrist.