The SilentWhisperer

Chapter 7 (part 2)

As Iales and Neco sat on the couch and mapped out the path Neco would take on his next mission, Jade snuck out the door, and crept out into the cool of the night. Eyes wide, she climbed onto the roof of Neco's cabin, settling down to wait.

She had just gotten into a comfortable position when Iales and Neco walked out, calling her name. They jogged down to the street, Iales looking one way, and Neco the other. For a few minutes more they stood in the road, looking for her and calling her name, but when she didn't appear, they turned back toward the house.

Jade ducked her head and tried to lie as flat as possible so she could stay hidden from them.

"She couldn't have gotten that far." Neco was saying when they walked within her earshot, "And she wouldn't go far, not with Jaëver lurking about." They walked onto the porch, "She couldn't have left at a worse time."

Iales shook his head. "She'll come back when she's ready." She heard the door thud shut behind them. Determination made her shake her head. She wasn't coming back, and she never would.

She looked out into the still night sky and gazed at the moon and stars, wincing as the moon's beams found their way to her. She needed the dark to stay hidden.

The hours passed, and more and more of the lanterns hanging outside the houses and buildings were blown out, leaving the streets dark.

She froze as she heard the door below her creak open, but it was only Iales coming out to blow out the lantern that hung from a hook outside the door. After a few moments, the door shut softly again.

Another hour passed, and then another; and now the only light that bathed the city were the beams of the moon.

Finally, when the moon started to descend in the sky, she heard the cabin door creak open, and soft footsteps padded down the stairs, running out to the street. Jade risked raising her head a little and saw Neco dash from shadow to shadow as he ran down the road that lead to the city gate.

She watched him until he disappeared from view before dropping down from the roof, landing in a roll. She hit the ground hard, running as fast as her legs would carry her after him. She slowed to a walk when she spotted Neco again, her chest heaving.

He was almost at the gate, which was now being lifted with a soft groan. She watched from behind the corner of a tavern as he joined six robed people walking in pairs. He went to the hooded man in front and stopped in front of him before doing a strange bow, crossing his arms over his chest and dipping his head slightly. A respectful gesture, perhaps?

The hooded people passed under the gate in orderly pairs when it was raised high enough, Neco and the man he had bowed to in front. They seemed to be speaking in hushed tones, raising their voices just high enough to be heard over the groaning of the gate as it started to close behind them.

Realizing that this may be her only chance to get out, Jade slipped swiftly from one house to the other, stopping when she reached the last house on the street. Then, giving herself no time to turn back, she sprinted across the stretch of open street between her and the wall, slipping under the closing gates just before they slammed to the ground.

She leapt to her feet on the other side, triumphant, but shivered and started running when she heard shouts start rising as the guards realized what just happened. She had little time before they would have the gate lifted again and send someone after her.

Racing out into the forest, she headed for the sound of people moving through the brush. She stayed at her steady pace until she could just see them passing through the trees ahead.