The Way We Fall

Chapter 97 (Roche)

Verita was fast asleep by the time Roche crept into their chambers. It had been a feat to sneak past all the snoring nobles that were strewn out on the floor of the library, but she'd managed. Verita had left out a bowl of watery soup on one of the tables, leftovers from dinner that Roche hadn't attended. She grabbed the cold bowl and headed to her room, draining it in one gulp. Quietly, ever so quietly, she locked the door to her chambers and pulled out the spellbook Verita had gifted her.

Bundled in countless blankets to keep out the chill, Roche thumbed through the pages with mounting frustration until she found a page about the omphalos. It wasn't hard to summon, provided that a few conditions were met. Roche didn't think that would be a problem. The main issue would be distracting Tigris while she used the incantation to summon the sacred space.

Roche snapped the book shut, her eyelids growing heavy. As she fell unconscious, the hazy makings of a plan filled her mind.

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Roche awoke well before Verita and the nobles laying on mattresses on the library floor. Roche paused by the door, laying an extra blanket over her guardian as the morning chill summoned goosebumps to her flesh. Then Roche slipped out into the quiet corridors, stumbling into a dozen walls in the dark.

It was a very lucky thing that most of the guards were patrolling away from the royal wing to monitor the rooms occupied by the evacuees from the lower town. That meant that Roche only had to distract a few guards that were standing guard outside Finn's chamber. Using her inkblood, she made a rock skitter against a wall further down the hall. When the guards slipped away to investigate, Roche unlocked the doors to Finn's chambers.

Tigris, Finn, and Orpheus were all nestled together on the giant bed, warmed by a small fire crackling in the hearth. The young child was awake, staring up at the ceiling mournfully while the two royals snored loudly on either side of him. He looked grumpy and irritated, like their snoring had kept him awake. Roche nearly snorted with laughter. Though she had been silent, Orpheus sat up and gazed at her curiously.

"Wakey wakey, your highnesses!" Roche crowed. Tigris shot up in bed, her hands darting to the side like she was looking for a weapon. Her hair stuck up in a variety of angles as she peered blearily at Roche.

"Roche? How the hell did you get in here?" the princess groaned. Roche held up Tigris' key ring in answer, and Tigris grunted, rubbing her eyes. Orpheus was currently crawling over Finn's chest, gently tapping the prince's cheeks. Finn let out a snuffly snort. Tigris laughed. "Good luck with that. Finn's like a hibernating bear, impossible to awaken."

Orpheus cocked his head, thinking hard. He then held out his hand over the prince's face. Roche felt his inkblood stir.

"Duroa." he whispered aloud.

Water condensed from the air and splashed the prince's face. Tigris leapt out of bed like she'd seen a demon as Finn spluttered awake. Roche felt a numb kind of shock creep over her as she watched the scene.

Orpheus had just used inkblood to wake the prince in front of Tigris.

Tigris was on her feet, face pale and hair strewn over her shoulders wildly. Every muscle in the warrior's body was coiled tightly as Finn wiped the icy water off his face, coughing wildly.

"What happened?" he hacked out.

Tigris blinked at Orpheus, who calmly swung his little legs over the prince and clambered off the bed. The princess' jaw worked. "Orpheus... used inkblood to wake you." she croaked.

Roche held her breath. Finn blinked blearily, slowly turning his gaze to the boy.

"Oh. Thank you, Orpheus."