I let out a sigh of annoyance which made him chuckle and reply, "Go kick some ass Fawn."
I laughed as he left, my heart already sore with the knowledge that I wouldn't see him again for a long time. Not until I had the artifact or had somehow destroyed it.
Turning towards the food Wymar had brought up, I stuffed my face whilst packing away everything I would need for the journey, before changing myself into Jaeda's form and donning another gown that barely contained her assets when Tawney necklace, still wrapped around my wrist, caught my eye.
In the events of yesterday, I had forgotten about my encounter with the elite lady. The claim that the necklace was none other than the late Princess of Etha's.
It could be a fake, I thought to myself, as I ran my finger across its glistening stone, feeling a heated pulse from within it.
But then it could be real.
A confusing mass of feelings churned within me until I shoved the thoughts away, not ready to pick them apart. Not yet.
But perhaps... Whilst I was snooping around in Etha, I could find out more information about the late Princess. And her mysterious necklace.
The necklace that Etha had tried hunting down. I bit my lip, unsure what to do with it. It didn't seem like a good idea to take it with me. Not into the heart of the enemy who killed to obtain it.
I slid it off my wrist, wrapping it up before making a small slit in my mattress where it faced the headboard and slid it between the feathers and wool.
No one would find it there, I thought, and no one would sneak into the Crimson Guards Tower without getting caught.
After rearranging the bed and grabbing my stuff, I made my way down the stairs and found everyone already waiting at the Towers entrance.
Axel and Rema were hugging everyone goodbye and a light cheer masked over the worry that lingered in everyone's eyes.
As I made it to the bottom step, Volorn turned to me, studying my attire before asking, "Do you have everything?"
"Yes," I replied in Jaeda sultry voice, watching his mouth tug in a slight smile.
"Your weapons?"
"Yes."
"Armour."
"Yes."
"Food."
"All the food Wymar could carry to my room," I replied in amusement.
"Okay." He took a small breath, some kind of emotion I couldn't read flickering into his eyes before it was gone, "Last night we sent Kedar a message from Wildecrest requesting passage for his family, stating he is on the run. In the early hours, we received a reply granting him safety.
"Alex will be masquerading as Wildecrest, Rema as Dagar and you as Jaeda until you find someone more suitable to Mimic to infiltrate their court. A ship will pick you all up on the border and you'll be riding in an unmarked carriage to get to there."
I gave him a solemn nod as the impact of what we were doing hit me. So much rested on my shoulders, on my skill to steal the artifact away.
I had come a long way from a small-time heist thief. I thought with a twisted smile.
"Are you ready?"
I nodded.
"Then say your goodbyes, your carriage is here." Volorn softly said.
I shifting my own face back, wanting to say goodbye to everyone in my own skin whilst I studied Volorn.
From his rigid posture and formal tones, I knew he was worried. Worried about all of us, that he may lose another one of his guards. His friends. So he was the first person I embraced, holding him tightly as I whispered to him," Don't worry. We will be fine. You're our general after all."
He gave a gruff chuckle before squeezing me back.
"Thank you Volorn, for giving me a second home," I whispered before stepping back with a smile which he returned.
I turned to everyone, giving each person a tight squeeze goodbye, trying not to interrupt Thorlan and Rema's passionate embrace or Axel and Volorn's brotherly hug.
A mixture of emotions charged through the room until finally all three of us stood back and walked out of the Tower and quickly scrambled into the carriage.
All of us took a deep breath, mentally preparing ourselves for what was to come. The journey and trials ahead of us.
But I couldn't help but look out of the window as the carriage rapidly sped away into the dark barely sunlit streets. Watching as the second place I came to know as home flew away. Even if I found that the Princess was my mother, Etha would never be my home. Here was my home. With my friends, my guards.
As I looked back I made a promise to myself. That I would return. That I wouldn't stop until I came back with a way to win this war. Whether that was by finding out as much information that I could on the enemy, by destroying their artifact or by finding the remaining artifacts out there.
I would stop at nothing to win this war and save my friends. My people.
Nothing.
Crimson Guard Page 24
