Everlasting

Grey - Cloaks

Sorry for the longish chapter, i'm trying to keep it short and sweet.

Sylrie's heart pounded inside her chest and her breaths came in short, sharp gasps, but she didn't stop running until she made it to the town bakery. All the lights were on, and the front door was unlocked. She shoved the door open and ran through the storefront, the kitchen, the bedrooms and the attic, calling Leif's name. It was to no avail. Leif wasn't there. She flew down the stairs and out onto the street. Her feet carried her to the town square, even as her mind wandered. She though about all the times Leif had helped her, and all the times she had helped him. She ran even faster. She wouldn't — she couldn't — lose him now. When she arrived in the square, the entire place was surrounded by Draconian guards. They raised their weapons when they spotted her, and lowered the again when she pulled her hair back to expose her earrings. When she tried to slip past the guards, one of them grabbed her arm and pulled her back. 

 "Kid, you can't go in there without a cloak. You'll be killed otherwise." 

The guard handed her another one of the peculiar cloaks, a black one with silver specks this time. She thanked him and ducked inside the square. Inside was chaos. All of the townspeople were clamouring to get past the guards, screaming at the top of their lungs and spouting out curse-words. Sylrie peered through the crowd, greatly tempted to just dissolve into a shadow, when she spotted Leif. She almost collapsed with relief. She ran up to him and grabbed his arm. He jumped and tried to pull away, but she just held on tighter and dragged him towards an alleyway. He struggled the entire way, and when they reached the alley, and Sylrie let go of his arm, he almost ran away, until she removed her hood. 

"Sylrie," he hissed as she pulled him down behind a dumpster. "What are you doing here? Did you escape from prison? And where did you get that cloak? How...? Syl, what's going on?" 

 "Leif, I came back to get you, and the Mysteria released me from prison, and they gave me this cloak and the earrings, and the Mysteria are going to kill everyone. Leif, they're going to slaughter the entire town. I couldn't let them kill you. That's why I came back. Leif, we have to go."

 She tried to stand, but Leif pulled her back down. 

 "Syl, my parents. We can't leave them behind. We need to go get them." 

Sylrie sighed and dragged her hands through her tangled hair. 

"Okay. You can go back out into the crowd and get them. Bring them over here and then I'll tell them what's happening. Then, we're going to run. I can't get any more than three people to safety. The shadows will carry you to our treehouse. Once you're there, wait for me. Okay?" 

"Okay," Leif promised, hugging her briefly. "I'm glad you're safe," he whispered, his breath tickling her ear. 

Then he was gone. Sylrie watched as he made his way across the crowd to his parents. He said something to them and they walked slowly back towards her. Leif never took his eyes off her, and when she motioned for him to duck into the alleyway, he did, and his parents followed. Leif dragged them over to where she was hiding and sat down beside her. His parents wrinkled their noses at the smell of rotten food, but crouched down as well. When they saw her they almost screamed. Leif shushed them and motioned for Sylrie to take off her hood. She did, and then flinched as they gasped and scrambled back, tripping over each other to get away from her. 

"You!" the baker's wife whisper-hissed. "What are you doing here? How are you out of prison?" She gasped. "You're working with the Mysteria, aren't you? You're trying to kill us! Guards! Guards!" 

Sylrie let out a stream of curses as the Draconian guards turned towards them and started pushing through the crowd to get them. One of them grabbed Leif and Sylrie, and the other grabbed Leif's parents. Sylrie kneed one in the stomach and jumped back, whipping out her gun. 

 "Stop!" she cried. "We're Draconian!" 

The guards froze and she continued on, trying to sound authoritative. 

"I was instructed to take these Draconians off to receive their cloaks and earrings. If you would kindly let us pass, that would be wonderful, thanks." 

 The guard closest to her, the one that she had kneed in the stomach, said, "if you're all Draconian, then you wouldn't mind if we tested you for magic." 

Without waiting for an answer, the guard turned back around and pointed his gun at the baker, then the baker's wife, then at Leif, then at her. 

"You two can go," he said, gesturing to her and Leif. "But these two are Regs. As punishment for trying to sneak away, they will be executed first." 

 "Wait!" called Sylrie as the guards tugged Leif's parents towards the pyre. "Stop!" 

She grabbed one guard's arms and he let go of the baker, swiping his hand at her. She flipped him over her head and kicked the other guard in the groin. Both guards fell to the floor, groaning, and Sylrie grabbed the baker and his wife and shoved them both into the alleyway. 

"Climb the fire escape," she instructed. 

They turned around and climbed upwards whilst she turned back, waiting for Leif. He slipped past her into the alleyway. 

"Thanks," he said as they started to climb. 

"Welcome," she puffed, reaching the top. 

When she saw what was waiting for them, she almost fell off the roof. There were four figures in grey cloaks standing on the next rooftop along, obviously waiting for them to get there. When they spotted them, one of them turned around and grabbed something — someone — from behind them. Sylrie's heart sank. It was Leif's parents. They held the baker and his wife over the edge of the roof. 

"Come peacefully, or say goodbye to these two." 

The figure shook Leif's parents, and they cried out in fear. Leif was shaking, and Sylrie could see no way around. She took a deep breath and slowly started walking towards the figures. Leif grabbed her arm, pulling her back. 

 "Syl, no!" he whispered in her ear. "If I'm going to lose them, then I'm not going to lose you." 

She looked up at him. 

 "Leif, I'm so sorry," she whispered back. She twisted out of his hold and ran towards the figures, tears blurring her vision. She flipped over the figures' heads and landed on the edge of the roof. 

"I'll offer you a trade. You let the Regs and the Mysteria boy go free, and I'll come quietly." 

She said it with as much authority as she could muster. The figures sneered at her. 

 "And what makes you think we'll want you?" 

"Because," said Sylrie, lifting her chin. "My name is Sylrie Noir, and I am the daughter of Mareen and Fabian Noir and the sister of Kyan Noir." 

The figures froze, and one of them dropped Leif's parents onto the slick roof. 

"Deal," they gasped, never taking their eyes off her. 

"Let the Regs go first," she ordered. "Or I'm leaving." 

One of the figures snapped out of their trance, and grinned at her maniacally. 

 "Oh, we'll let them go all right." 

With no warning, the figure hoisted Leif's parents up off their feet and threw them over the side of the roof.