Shadewalker || ONC 2024

Chapter 16: Stupidity

Dawn's faint, pink fingers had just begun to trail across the sky when Iris finally crept out of the Shadewalker's Guild Hall. She took off towards the port, following the route that would lead her past the Twelfthe Quarter Prison. This way had seemed the shortest of the two on the map.

Few, if any, people were up and about at this time of morning. Iris thought that she may have seen someone bustling about through the yet-unlit window of a bakery, but otherwise, there was no one. The new morning light was dim and dusty and still had to be supplemented by streetlights.

Adrian's borrowed leather satchel bounced against Iris's hip as she hurried down the cobblestone streets, keeping close track of the signs on each corner. Here was E Butcher's Street, and next came Cinder's Ave NE. Around the next bend should be -

Iris stopped short. She had turned the corner and come upon a street that was simply named "Twelfthe Quarter." This was where the largest prison in Lyndemar was housed, and it loomed like some great, dark mausoleum against the barely brightening sky. From what Iris knew, it may very well even be the largest prison in all of Felise. Then again, she wasn't necessarily in the habit of keeping up to date with her nation's prison systems.

What Iris hadn't expected was for the entire street to be crawling with officers and prison guards. A great big knot of them milled about at the prison's entrance, and countless others patrolled the street itself. They were easily identified by the cut of their long black coats with silver buttons and silver badges, and they each wore the distinctive bowled caps of their profession.

No one in layperson's clothing seemed to have ventured out onto this street. Iris hadn't the faintest idea if this was normal or if it had been triggered by something out of the norm. She chewed her lip, thinking, and then she blinked.

Oh dear.

Tilda had mentioned meeting a very interesting witch with a very interesting book just yesterday. She had clearly been implying that the witch was Mrs. Eliana Prewett, but had this meeting involved a jailbreak?

Iris took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, debating whether she should try striding out onto the street as confidently as she could. This was an odd time of morning to be out, and she would likely be looked upon with suspicion for it, but she was still unfamiliar with the city and she did not remember the map in Adrian's office well enough to navigate any other side streets. So long as she acted like she belonged, perhaps there would be no trouble. Then again, if this street was on high alert, perhaps there would.

Iris didn't have the chance to make her decision though. She was stopped before she could even take three steps forward or back.

"Halt," barked an officer. Iris resisted the urge to jump and cower. Then she resisted the urge to laugh. "Halt" was an odd sort of thing to say to a person standing still. "State your name and business, ma'am," he continued. This officer was a short and stocky man, built like a bulldog with a voice that matched. Iris schooled her expression and looked down her nose at him, doing her best to appear cool and a bit miffed.

"Iris McClaine," she said. "I am on my way to see my father."

None of this was a lie, but she saw no need to elaborate on the details.

"I'm going to need to see what's in your bag," said the officer, pointing to the satchel at Iris's hip. She glanced down at it, pursing her lips. Ah, yes. This was going to be a problem. She was quite confident that half of the items she'd collected were rather illegal to have on her person. It was an unfortunate oversight, but she hadn't expected the street to be so crowded at this time of day, and she'd needed to move quickly.

Her mind whirred, but before she could think of a suitable escape, a new voice joined them.

"Iris! Oh, thank heavens, I caught up to you!"

"What - Erold? What are you doing here?" Iris gasped. Her brother laid an arm around her shoulder and grinned at the officer.

"Good morrow, sir," he said, cheerfully. The officer, for his part, did not return Erold's grin. Instead, he began to look somewhat exasperated.

"And you are?"

"Erold McClaine, Jr., sir. Apologies for my sister, sir. She's been a tad irate these past few days...sir." That last "sir" sounded a bit like an afterthought.

"For which I have very good reason," growled Iris through her teeth. She was now fighting the very strong urge to elbow her brother in the ribs or stomp on his foot. That was unlikely to help her situation though.

The officer rubbed his temples, clearly not interested in getting in the middle of a sibling tiff. "I still need to see what's in the lady's bag. This area is currently under high security."

Whatever for? Iris wanted to ask. A jailbreak, perhaps? But she remained silent on that matter.

Erold leaned towards the officer conspiratorially, and said, in a rather loud stage whisper, "Are you really sure that you need to be checking the lady's bag? She does tend to get rather moody at this time of the month and - "

"Erold, I have had it with you!" Iris shouted, rounding on her brother. She did not like what he was implying. The officer sighed.

"Miss, if you just need to get past this street, you can take a detour by way of West Elm Ave and Brown Street. That will lead you to Crick Shuttle Road, near where this street ends."

"Thank you, officer," said Iris, tightly. She grabbed Erold by the ear and left, practically dragging him after her.

Once they were out of view of the officer and part way up West Elm Ave, Iris finally released her brother and rounded on him once more.

"I told you to stay put, you inconsiderate ass!" she hissed.

Erold grinned sheepishly, rubbing his ear. It must be tender after how hard she'd grabbed it. Good.

"Well," he said, "You seemed to have been in a bit of a tight spot. I thought you could use a hand."

"Go back to the guild hall, Erold," said Iris. But her brother simply shook his head.

"No, I can't do that," he said with a grimace. "This is my fault, and I can't leave Father behind to suffer because of me."

Well, that was just fantastic. Erold's conscience had finally caught up to him. Iris threw up her hands and let out a loud sigh.

"Fine," she said. "Listen closely to what I say, because this is already a fool's errand, and I would much rather the two of us not die from stupidity."

Chapter word count: 1158

Cumulative word count: 24692