by Drae Box
“You two should go through the side door,” stated Pedibastet as he rubbed his side against Aldora’s leg, curling his tail round her knee before stepping away.
Raneth stopped walking as he carefully observed the six foot wall and the rooftop of the building jutting out behind it. Aldora watched him curiously.
“There’s no guards on the roof,” stated Raneth. “You’d think there would be now it’s dark.”
“Newers are stupid — that is why they hate Giftens, because we are superior,” boasted the cat with a flick of his tail.
Idiot. Raneth turned to Aldora. “Follow me, please.”
Aldora nodded, so Raneth jogged towards the wall, listening to her gentle footsteps as she tailed him, her breath becoming more audible. She’s nervous or scared, he noted. He sped ahead and then waited with his back to the wall, watching Aldora’s progress as she neared him. She smiled as she joined him, so he smiled back. Both glanced down at Pedibastet loitering at their feet, looking up at them, his right ear twitching towards the south beyond the wall.
“Someone is coming out of a door. Heavy feet – probably male. Just one set,” whispered the Prince of the Cats.
Raneth nodded and took Aldora’s hand, gently easing them both closer to the gate in the front wall, then he paused beside it and released her hand. The gate squeaked as it was opened by another. As the inspector stepped out, Raneth wrapped his left arm around the man’s waist and his other hand pinched the inspector’s nose, the palm pressing against the mouth. The royal official tugged the inspector to him and rested his own back against the wall. Aldora shied back as the Newer squirmed in Raneth’s hold, reaching up, trying to grab at Raneth’s face before going for his arms and wrists. The inspector’s movements started to slow, until they stilled and his body sagged against Raneth. The royal official released his pinch hold of the nose and lifted the Newer into his arms.
“Shove him in the stables on the left. Aldora and I will head to the side door and get inside. Come find us.” Pedibastet swept through the open gate.
Raneth gave Aldora a nod. She briefly glanced at him and the Newer in his arms before she went through the gate, running after the streak of white in the greyed grass and over the path to the front door.
As Aldora and Pedibastet stepped inside the building through the unlocked door, Raneth watched the front windows closely for any movement that would warn him they had been spotted. Nothing. Good to go. Raneth shoved the Newer over his left shoulder and sprinted across the grass of the headquarters’ front garden until he reached the stable entrance to the left of the building. He yanked the door open and peeked inside. The stables were dark; there was hay all over the concrete floor, and no human-like shadows moved. Raneth crept inside, listening closely. A few horses patted their feet at his arrival, one snorted, but he smiled as he realised none were going to whinny or complain loudly at his presence. He dumped the inspector on a bale of hay before striding between the stalls and over to an open door. Looking through it, he spotted a female inspector sitting at her desk, sharpening pencils that she gently dropped into a waiting cup after blowing on their newly sharpened tips.
Raneth eased through the door and its doorframe, keeping his back just shy from the wall so he wouldn’t create a rubbing noise against the bricks. He darted forwards and ignored a door to his left. The female inspector raised her gaze to him, her mouth opening as she jerked to stand, her chair clattering to the ground.
The royal official vaulted over the desk, knocking over the cup of pencils, and his feet connected with her stomach. She tumbled to the ground and Raneth shoved a hand over her mouth. His other hand smashed the back of her head against the hard floor. She groaned as she stilled. Raneth waited for a moment. Are you tricking me? He slowly drew his hands back but kept them poised to take her out again, but she didn’t react. He climbed off her and looked around.
In the room, directly opposite the desk, was a window with a long cupboard underneath it. Raneth smiled and dragged the inspector towards it. He yanked the cupboard open and peered inside. Mostly empty. Handy. He shoved her in and returned to the desk just as Aldora edged along the wall by the stairs and looked through the doorway at him. Raneth smiled at her as he righted the cup on the table, along with the pencils, and then gestured for the cat and Aldora to follow him. Aldora nodded and stepped past the stairs. Raneth led them through the door he had ignored and led Aldora down a set of stairs that the door led to. Pedibastet overtook the two humans.
At the bottom of the stairs, Raneth was acutely aware that Aldora was standing behind him with one of her hands on his right shoulder. He could just hear her breathing. “Breathe gently,” he whispered.
Aldora’s breathing quietened. Raneth led them down a short corridor lined with moss-covered stones and over to an open archway to the left. On the other side of the archway, the two sides of a room were lined with cell bars.
“We should check all of the cells,” whispered Pedibastet.
“We will,” stated Raneth in a low voice. “If they do have anything of note, it’s likely to be in a cell without prisoners. Let’s head to those furthest from the way in and work back towards the stairs. That way we’re getting our inspection done and we’re heading towards our exit at the same time.” He strode down the corridor. Aldora lingered near his back, trying not to make any noise as Pedibastet strolled beside her with his tail twitching.
At the end of the corridor, Raneth took the last entrance available to them. The cells running down either side of this room were empty, all except for the last one on the right. The back of the cell was stuffed with items piled one on top of the other. Raneth prowled over to it and ignored the table and chair by the cell as he inspected the stash. Sword hilts poked out from the bottom, most of basic design. Two large shields were propped against the back wall with family emblems that Raneth didn’t recognise. Must have some Newer lords in here or something. Daggers were scattered throughout the pile, their weapon belts still attached to their sheaths. Spotting a halberd jutting from the pile, a stuffed leather bag helping to prop it up, Raneth realised this was mostly a weapon stash. But I still need to get in there and take that mess apart so I can look for the Shotput. A small pile of blue canvas bags were tucked into the corner nearest the cell door. He tugged at the door but it rattled in its frame. Need to pick the lock. He tried the table’s drawers. Those were locked too. Raneth glanced over his shoulder for Aldora and Pedibastet. Aldora was waiting just shy of the room’s entrance, glancing back the way they had come. The Prince of the Cats was also looking in the same direction.
What are they looking at? He cleared his throat for their attention. “What?” he whispered.
“An inspector is coming this way,” whispered Pedibastet. He ran into the room and hid behind Raneth’s legs, peering past his left shin. “Protect us, royal official. Aldora, get over here.”
Aldora turned to look into the room and walked over to her friends. Raneth gripped his sword but didn’t draw it, releasing his hold almost immediately.
“There is nowhere to hide in this silly room,” grumbled Pedibastet.
“That was probably the point,” whispered Raneth. What should we do? He looked at Aldora. “Will you be alright in that corner cell?” he asked, pointing towards the left corner of the room, near the entrance. It’s door was slightly ajar and as Raneth inspected the other cell doors, he noticed that each door of the empty cells was touching its frame but not secure within it. I should have noticed that when we came in.
Aldora frowned. “He’ll see me if he comes in here.”
“He’s going to see us all anyway. I’ll try and take him out like the one by the gate,” stated Raneth softly. “The nearer we are to the door, the more chance I have of intercepting him before he realises we’re here.”
“OK. I trust you.” Aldora rushed into the corner cell and pressed her back against the cell’s back wall. Raneth mirrored her movements in the cell opposite hers. Pedibastet opted to stand und
er a wooden chair tucked under the table beside the cell which held the inspectors’ stash.
The inspector stepped through the archway, strolling down the stone path between the cells, his eyes fixed on the table and chair Pedibastet sat under. “Hi, pussycat. Where did you come from?”
Raneth watched as the Prince of the Cats fluffed up his fur and flattened his ears against his skull. Raneth moved out from his cell, creeping towards the inspector. He was moving slower than the Newer, though, having to keep his footsteps quieter. There’s no way I will get to him before he gets to Pedibastet. Raneth mentally winced as the soft whisper of Aldora drawing the Dagger of Protection caught in his ears.
The inspector spun around, his hand falling to the sword at his belt. No you don’t. Raneth stepped forwards and slammed the heel of his hand into the inspector’s chin. He grabbed the inspector as he stumbled back a step and spun him to face the table again. Raneth charged forwards, still holding the inspector and slammed his head against the surface of the table. Pedibastet shuffled backwards, keeping the table firmly between him and Raneth. The inspector pushed against the table’s edge, but Raneth smashed his head against the table again. This time, the Newer’s body went limp.
“A bit excessive, but appreciated,” said Prince Pedibastet, keeping his distance. He glanced towards the entrance, fur bristling again. “Someone else approaches.”
“Colby?” called another voice as Raneth glanced towards the doorway.
Great, he thought, grabbing the unconscious Newer’s arm and dragging him away from the table. Raneth dumped him in the corner of the nearest open cell. He glanced at Aldora; she was still in her original hiding spot, with the Dagger of Protection drawn. Raneth darted closer to the door.
“They’re running. They must have heard you!” warned Pedibastet.
Raneth grabbed Aldora’s hand and brought her out from her cell. “Hiding isn’t working.”
“Because of you,” stated Pedibastet, already at their feet. “What now, royal official?”
Raneth didn’t answer. Glancing around the room, he turned his attention back to the table and the stuffed cell next to it, then back to the doorway.
“Quickly!” ordered Pedibastet.
The doorway filled with two male inspectors. One had a sword unsheathed in his hand; the other, a small but loaded crossbow. He aimed it at Raneth. Bummer. By the time I raise my hands to use my Common Gift of Ice, he’ll have shot me. Same goes for my weapons. Raneth glanced at Aldora, taking a small step away from her to make sure that, if the inspector missed him, he wouldn’t hit her.
Aldora jabbed the Dagger of Protection towards the inspector. A blue droplet dripped from the blade’s tip and slid to Raneth’s feet.
The crossbow fired.
The blue drop turned into a sphere as it grew around Raneth, Aldora and Pedibastet with a loud pop, knocking the crossbow bolt from its path. The inspectors backed up warily. Raneth glanced at Aldora and then stepped to the edge of the blue orb, pressing a hand against it. It dissolved at his touch. Immediately he ran at the shocked inspectors, smacked their heads together and then bashed them against the stone edges of the doorway. When he let go, they fell to the floor unconscious.
“We need to abort this right now. Come, you two,” said Pedibastet.
Aldora turned to Raneth, a questioning look cast his way.
He nodded, frowning, so Aldora followed the Prince of the Cats. Raneth darted over to the first inspector. He patted down his pockets and found a small set of keys. Faster than picking, he thought, trying each in the lock of the cell containing the stash. It clicked just as Aldora called him from the corridor. He glanced at her.
“I’ll catch up,” he promised.
Aldora frowned and sprinted back to him. She grabbed his arm and tugged. “There’s more coming.”
“Just give me a second,” urged Raneth. “We’ll deal with the other inspectors in a second.”
“No. Leave it, Raneth.” Aldora tugged again, this time succeeding in making Raneth take a step away from the cell. “We shouldn’t have snuck in. This was a dumb idea. We need to leave without letting them know we were interested in their stash.”
“Fine,” he grumbled as he followed.
As they neared the stairs, Aldora slowed. Pedibastet had stopped moving completely, waiting only a metre ahead of the two Giftens, grumbling at three more armed inspectors.
“Think that’s them?” said one of the Newers, drawing his sword as he eyed Raneth and Aldora. “The royal official captain and the Dagger Bearer?”
“Course it is. Nobody else would be stupid enough to come into our house. Girl, step away from the royal official and we’ll pretend this was all him. We’ll let you go. No questions asked.”
Aldora gripped Raneth’s hand tighter, looking up at him.
He gave her a tight smile. “Is there any way you can use the Dagger without seriously hurting them?” asked Raneth, his voice low. “Enough to stop them coming for us?”
Aldora pointed the Dagger of Protection at the Newer law enforcers and frowned, concentrating. Nothing happened.
“Put the weapon down, girl!”
“Come on,” she whispered to it, giving it a slight shake.
Raneth slipped his hand free from hers and plucked two of the throwing daggers from his belt. He held them loosely in his hands and shifted slightly more from Aldora’s side.
The inspectors tracked his movements, watching him suspiciously. “Royal official, under the Common Kingdoms Alliance Treaty, you’re breaking friendship between our law enforcement units. Stand down and be arrested peacefully, with respect for the Common Kingdoms Alliance.”
“If I let you arrest me, nobody will ever see me again. You guys are just as bad as the Greatlanders’ Intelligence General,” growled Raneth.
“You shouldn’t have been dumb enough to come down here then, should you?”
Aldora jabbed the Dagger in the direction of the inspectors again.
“It doesn’t want to hurt them,” she whispered to Raneth.
He viewed the Dagger with a slight frown. Is it just blanket-accepting them as law enforcers? At least one of them must be corrupt – why doesn’t it strike that one? Reluctantly, but not completely willing to give in just yet, Raneth lifted his hands away from his belt, turning his wrists up so that his own blades pointed towards his shoulders.
“Wait,” said Aldora, sheathing the Dagger. She raised her hands into the air, her palms out towards the inspectors. “We’re all law enforcers, right?”
One of the Newers nodded as another murmured an agreement.
“Can we treat each other like adults then? I’m sorry we were foolish enough to think we could just walk around here doing whatever we wanted. We were ill-advised.”
Raneth glared at Aldora but kept his throwing blades ready for flinging. “What are you doing?” he hissed in a fast, angry whisper.
“We don’t have an advantage so don’t be an idiot,” she hissed. “So, can we?” she added in a calmer voice to the inspectors.
I’m not risking letting them decide what happens to us for this, decided Raneth. He cleared his throat to gain the inspectors’ attention before they could answer Aldora. “I’m a personal friend of Queen Regina the Third,” he warned. “Tell her the royal official captain is here. Ask her what to do with us.”
Aldora glanced at Raneth with a surprised look. “What are you doing?”
“I believe he’s making sure we all get to leave without bloodshed,” stated Pedibastet, causing one of the inspectors to edge warily away from him. “Cats are not food, you despicable human.”
“I never said you were food! That was Sheila!”
“What an awful name,” said Pedibastet, flicking the tip of his tail and lifting his nose into the air. “No wonder she doesn’t behave well. I’ve a good mind to report what goes on here. Feeding cats to prisoners. At least feed them bread. Honestly!”
“Pedi, stop it,” whispered Aldora.
&n
bsp; She does realise we’ve been caught doing something illegal, doesn’t she? We’ve already broken in, thought Raneth, sparing Aldora a glance.
“Drop your weapons and step into the nearest cell. We’ll send word to Her Majesty.”
“Hold on just a second, Ian,” interrupted one of the other inspectors. “If we don’t kill or arrest them, word will get around. And since when did we let the queen start bossing us about?”
“We’ll discuss this later,” said the inspector that was willing to send word to Queen Regina. “When they’re gone and can’t eavesdrop.”
“This’ll bite us on the backside.”
“It’s my call, not yours,” warned Inspector Ian.
“I’m not dropping any weapons and neither’s the Dagger Bearer,” stated Raneth. “We don’t have any reason to trust you.”
“Raneth,” snapped Aldora. “Stop it.”
Raneth stared at her. What did I do? I’m just trying to make sure we don’t get caught out!
“Stop being a bloody idiot,” added Aldora at his surprised look.
He glanced hurriedly at the inspectors; two were smirking. He looked to Pedibastet. In response, the cat’s left ear twitched, but he didn’t utter a word. Raneth noticed how his irises were almost completely devoured by his pupils – he was scared or angry. Or both.
“I can’t trust inspectors. I have to assume they won’t keep to their word, and will take me out the first chance they get. I’m allowed to defend myself.”
“Raneth, it’s us who screwed up. Please? Just this once. We can compromise, right? What if we all sheathe our weapons?”
“This,” stated Pedibastet loudly, “is a gigantic waste of my time. Inspectors, on the authority of Prince Pedibastet, the Prince of all Giften Cats and superior to the Giften Dagger Bearer and the royal official captain, I hereby order you to go upstairs and sit on your hands. Royal official, Dagger Bearer, I order you to do the same. Quick march, everyone.”
