Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty-Four: Decoy

Everyone’s attention had fallen on the remnants of the door that still clung to the hinges. A silence had fallen on the room. The only noise I could make out from the corridor was the breeze blowing in through the hole in the wall.

Altria crept up to the doorway’s edge, before looking back over her corridor. “Theo, can you make anything out in the corridor?”

I quickly activated appraisal and checked. It was just the same as before. In the poor light I could make out very little of use. There was no way I was going to be able to spot someone as adept as that woman.

I shook my head. “No, nothing. Sorry.”

Altria smiled. “Don’t worry about it. It was a longshot.” She switched her glance to Aetherin. “Can you track her?”

Aetherin tilted her head. “Only if she moves. I know where she was when we entered the room, but I doubt she’s there now.”

Altria sighed. “Looks like we’re going to have to this the hard way… Aetherin are you okay with rushing her to try and flush her out? I’m afraid you’re likely the only one that could manage it.”

She nodded. “I don’t see that we have any other choice. We’ll struggle to make it out of here without facing her.”

“Thanks, Aetherin. Beth and I will be right behind you, we just need to make her move.”

I was sure that the other girls would have already thought about this, but the woman was going to be aware that our attack would be to flush her out. The attack would have to leave her with no choice but to show herself.

Aetherin must have read my face, because she turned to me and held my shoulder as she smiled. “Don’t worry Theo, I understand what I’ve got to do here.”

I held her arm. “Just don’t take any chances. She really is dangerous.”

“I know. I won’t do anything unnecessary.”

I released her arm and turned to Altria. “Well, what do we do now?”

Altria stepped to the side. “Aetherin, you’re up.” Then she looked to Beth. “You ready?”

Beth nodded as she approached the door. “I suppose so.”

The pair stood on either side of the door while Aetherin prepared herself to move.

She brushed down her clothes and held her parasol at the ready, before clutching the remnants of the door. She glanced across her shoulder to Beth. “I’m ready whenever you give the order.”

Altria took one last look over our group. She took in a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

I quickly reactivated “appraisal” and watched on from the rear of the group with Ameri as Aetherin dove through the doorway once again.

She was moving quickly, but not yet at her full pace. She was trying to draw out the woman’s attack as she zig zagged up the corridor.

Barely a couple of seconds had passed before Altria and Beth followed Aetherin into the corridor.

Aetherin had already passed the next two rooms and there was still no response from the woman.

I felt a chill down my spine and instinctively looked back into the room behind me. Pulling my eyes from the hallway and the three girls. It was the same as before. Just a dark and empty room.

Ameri had turned to look with me. “What is it?”

“Nothing, I just had a strange sensation for a moment.”

She quickly scanned the room before turning back. “Come on, we should follow the others. We don’t want them to get to far ahead of us.”

She clutched my arm and gently motioned me towards the door.

I took one step and froze. I was halted by the clear sound of glass being broken behind me.

Ameri and I both spun towards the noise.

The window at the far end of the room had been smashed. I could see the night sky now clearly through the broken window. Pieces of glass on the floor reflected what little light was in the room.

Ameri took a step forward. “What the he…” She dived to the side.

Her words were cut silent by some unseen threat.

In the poor light I could make out what had happened, but I quickly lunged to where Ameri was now standing.

She was holding her sword with both hands now, it only took me a moment to realise why. She was actually clutching at the side of her hand. She was wounded.

She shouted without taking her eyes from the window. “Get out of here. Now!”

“But…”

“Just go!”

I didn’t move like she wanted. I couldn’t just turn and leave her. I gripped my sword tightly, gazing into the darkness trying to catch a glimpse of our enemy.

This time Ameri looked over. “What are you doing? Get out of here!”

“I can’t leave you.”

Ameri started to speak, but movement across the window stopped her.

Then almost as if they stepped out of the shadows a figure slipped in effortless through the hole in the window.

Without a sound the touched down on the floor. They laughed. “You should have listened to your friend here.”

I could already recognise the voice, but as they took a step forward their face was revealed in the dim light.

It was the women I had made the others spare.

I jumped backwards, turned and ran for the door. Intent on calling for the others as soon as I was through. I didn’t get the chance.

The air cracked as an invisible force cut the ground to my side and then ate into the door in front of me. It cut through the frame and wall. Collapsing the arch above the door and sending a small pile of rubble onto the floor.

I could easily jump the obstruction, but I knew I would never make it in one piece. I slowly turned back.

The woman slow clapped. “Well done. Another step and I would have had to incapacitate you. I was asked to bring you in alive. But only if it was achievable. Not that it will benefit you in the long room.”

Ameri was breathing heavily. In this light I couldn’t tell how badly she was hurt, but it didn’t sound good.

She shot me a sidelong glance. Not letting her eyes leave the woman. “Don’t tell me this is the one that gave Altria and Aetherin that much trouble?”

“I’m afraid so.”

The woman let out an unhinged sounding laugh. “New friends? She seems rather quick on the uptake this one.”

I forced down the knot in my throat. “Look, you can just let her leave. I brought her into this. There’s no need to hurt her.”

“I’m not letting her take you Theo. I promised the others!”

The woman tilted her head. I was sure I could make out a smirk. “It doesn’t sound like that’s an option.”

I couldn’t even see her hands move, I just heard the crack of her whip and the thud on the floor to my left. I knew it was Ameri falling to the ground without listening.

I only had one move. “Celine. Get us out of this room.” I spoke as quickly as possible.

I felt a hand touch my back, even as I heard the whip crack once again. It went pitch black. Then I was back in the corridor, but several doors down from the room I had just been in.

“Thanks Celine!”

“I wouldn’t leave you.” She sounded less upbeat than usual.

I looked to my sides hoping to see Ameri there, but it was just Celine and me standing there.

“Ameri?”