After Frides saw Nero fighting by the Glow Stone he rushed to Imani's suite. The suite was much nicer than the one he and Nero were staying in. The floors were a jade, and there were black carpets with white and green stitching. The drapes were made of silk and so long they pooled at the bottom of the windows. A large desk sat at the edge of the room similar to the one in Madam Silvers office filled with books and papers. Frides looked around the room but didn't see anyone. He walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door and it creeped open. "Imani? Elle sent me to come and get you."
He pushed the door open but there was no one in there. He looked around the room again confused. Elle said Madam Silvers doesn't let Imani leave the room so how could she not be here.
Madam Silvers quickly scurried down the stairs to the wine cellar. She ran to the back of the cellar to the vault and pulled out her keys, but when she reached out for the handle the door opened. She hesitantly walked into the room. She reached back and grabbed one of the glowing candles outside the room and lit the room up. In the center of the room was a table that was supposed to hold all of the Cardis that should have been in the vault. The table was empty except for a piece of paper. She walked over and picked it up holding the candle over it.
"I helped myself to all the chestnuts you were hoarding. I imagine you'll have a very tough winter now. I received an offer from a well endowed patron of yours to join him in a business venture that I just couldn't pass up. I'm on way to New Oania, now. On the upside, after you fail to pay the Peace Corps they'll arrest you or kill you, so I'll be the least of your worries. Thank you for your hospitality. Catch me if you can.
P.S. Send Elle my regards. She's fully capable of getting out of here on her own. I was just slowing her down."
Madam Silvers clenched her fists and clinched her teeth. Tears slid down the side of her usual composed cheeks. "Imani!"
Elle walked into the room with her blue crossbow facing Madam Silvers. Without a word she let an arrow go, thudding into the back of Madam Silvers. She let go of the note and reached for the arrow in her back and turned around to Elle. She coughed up blood. "Eleanor. You have no friends." She fell to the floor gasping for breath.
"There you are!" Elle turned and faced Marcel and pulled another arrow to her crossbow. Marcel looked past her to Madam Silvers as she gargled blood and then went silent. Marcel releases his Glow and his weapons disappear. "We don't need to fight anymore. You have nothing to protect."
Elle shot her arrow into his shoulder. Marcel drops to his knees. "I still hate you and the Peace Corps."
Elle walked into the vault and looked around. She had never been inside the vault but she understood that it should be filled with Cardi's, jewels and gold. She looked down at Madam Silvers lifeless body one last time and stepped over her crunching a piece of paper. She lifted up her foot and recognized it as the paper Madam Silvers was reading. She picked it up and smiled, letting a single tear fall.
She was conflicted with knowing Imani left and she was safe. She decided to focus on her safety.
"Elle, are you okay?" Diego looked down at Madam Silvers' body.
"Yeah, I'm fine now." She folded Imani's note and put it in her pocket. Then she realized the absurdity of what she was seeing. "Where is Nero?!"
Frides bolted out the room holding Urs under his arm. He ran over to the balcony at Nero and company. He jumped over the balcony and threw Urs into the springs and Glowed a dagger. He looked at Larel and threw it in between Larel, Viola, and Zil.
"Why are you fighting them." He looked him up and down. "You're a member of the Peace Corps?"
Nero jumped over to Frides. "Yeah, he's a member of the Peace Corps. Does he need any other reason to cause trouble."
"That's funny coming from you. Where's Elle?"
"I don't know she was being chased while chasing Miss Whatever. Where's Imani?"
"She wasn't in her suite. We need to get out of here. This has nothing to do with us."
"Yeah its kind of escalated. We need to find Elle."
Captain Enyo stepped forward. "You guys must not know the rules to this game. There are severe consequences to assaulting a member of the Peace Corps. I do not permit you to leave."
Nero stepped to Captain Enyo, "You started it."
"Nero!" Elle yelled from across the Spring. "We need to get out of here Imani left."
"Okay, Sorry sir but I'm going to have to make my exit now."
Captain Enyo didn't even hear Nero. He was too busy wondering how the girl he sent Marcel after was alive. He jumped up past Elle and ran through the halls. "Shit. I need all of my pieces to play the game."
"Captain Enyo?" Larel saw Captain Enyo jump onto the balcony and chased after him. He followed the kicked in doors and into the final one. He Glowed his weapon and entered the hallway and down the stairs cautiously. He was surprised when he saw Marcel covered in blood over captain Enyo's shoulder.
"I need all of my pieces." Captain Enyo vehemently declared to Larel.
O BE CONTINUED...
Thanks for reading!