There weren’t many people loitering in the hallways, as most were in the eating hall. The odd few were those either leaving or switching their shifts.
There were hundreds of positions within the guild, from stable workers for their few messenger horses, to cooks, cleaners, and even watchers. Organising the rosters had, up until recently, been one of her more permanent duties, despite most usually rotating their tasks.
They all had to do the watch shift at some point – and be on different hours for it – to share the load.
There are too many people in the hallways. It would have been better if it was past curfew for those who didn’t have duties to perform, but Emerie couldn’t wait any longer.
Her last visit to the Duskwalker’s dungeon revealed the new doctor wanted to have her own peek inside him. The poor guy just couldn’t catch a break.
That wasn’t what had lit a fire underneath her arse.
Even though he’d already healed his wounds – she hated that cleanup duty was the only reason she was permitted to visit him – his breathing had been short and shallow. Stark white orbs had flashed blue at her, before being once more engulfed by his fear, and he’d tensed up upon seeing Emerie.
She clenched her eyes shut tightly at the memory.
“Please,” he’d whined. “Keep her away from me. Don’t let her break my skull.”
Emerie had already been informed of Sabrina’s intentions earlier from Wren. She’d also already made her decision.
She’d already been actioning her plans.
But his words... how urgent and panicked they were... His skull is significant. She didn’t know how, she didn’t know why – all she knew was that she couldn’t wait.
I should have just figured my shit out sooner.
But it was hard to break years of brainwashing, training, fear, and hatred. It was hard to go against everything she’d ever known, everything she’d ever learned, to do the right thing. Especially with a pest like Wren in her ear.
Tonight, she was going to free the Duskwalker.
Would she die? Probably!
Either the Duskwalker would take his anger out on her, or Wren would hang her for being a traitor while shoving him back in that dungeon. But she just couldn’t do this anymore.
She couldn’t sit idly by and allow this to keep happening.
Her life wasn’t precious. She wasn’t special.
Emerie didn’t deserve to cling to life so selfishly, not when she was the only person who could or would help.
Other than rope, I should have everything I need in my room. Really, the only thing she was taking with her was a water sack, her travel bag that held all her tools, a keystone obsidian blade to free him, and a bow she’d recently made out of boredom.
She had a sword and whip on her already, upgraded and given to her by Wren. I shouldn’t need much more than that.
However, she’d been fashioning something else last night after she made her decision. She thought she’d stolen enough rope to finish making it, but she’d fallen short by one long length.
If she wanted any hope of living past this day, she needed more.
Someone bumped into her in the hallway, but she didn’t pay them any notice. That was until they grabbed her wrist and tugged her back, forcing her scheming mind to the present.
“Emerie?” he asked, and she would know that voice anywhere.
Even though she was in her full uniform, she wasn’t wearing her face mask. It was obvious he’d been following her for quite some time, probably yelling at her, and she’d been too lost in thought to notice.
She ripped her arm from Bryce, but he held strong. “Let go of me,” she grated out.
He yanked her closer to allow room for those passing around them in the narrow hallway.
“You’ve been gone for six days,” he snapped through clenched teeth. “Where the fuck have you been?”
“Busy,” she answered.
It was funny, though. If it wasn’t for the Duskwalker, Emerie may have had a different reaction.
In the past six days, Bryce had barely been in her thoughts. Wren, the Duskwalker, all her sorrow and regret... she hadn’t had a single moment to spare over her breakup with him.
Had so much not been going on for her, had more important things not been weighing on her, Emerie probably would have bawled her eyes out for the last few nights. She would have wept, wondering if she’d made a mistake.
Other than when it happened, not a tear had formed for him.
But it had for the Duskwalker.
In the privacy of her room, whether it was her usual one or the one she’d been hidden away in, Emerie had cried for that creature. Cried for his pain, and the heavy burden of guilt that she had the biggest hand in capturing him.
It was her fault.
If she could go back in time, she would have stopped herself.
I helped put him in that stupid dungeon.
“I tried to order a meeting with Wren about the Duskwalker’s capture, but they said she was unavailable. You didn’t tell her I helped you, did you?”
“It slipped my mind,” she muttered honestly, grunting when she attempted to yank her arm away multiple times.
Then she winced at the tight pressure around her forearm, like he was trying to snap it in half.
“If you didn’t want to continue being a useful fucking hole anymore, that’s fine, but the least you could have done was not be a bitch and hog all the glory to yourself.” He shoved her until her back met the wall, and the back of her head thudded against it. “You will tell her, or I’ll start telling everyone what a whore you are. How easy it was for me to get you to lower–”
He didn’t even get the chance to finish. Bryce went cross-eyed with fury as she kneed him so hard in the balls she swore she felt something pop. Maybe she was imagining it, but it was oddly satisfying.
He let her go as he silently screamed, tears welling in his eyes. While clutching his junk, he sagged to his knees.
“I don’t have time for your shit,” she snapped down at him. “Feel free to tell everyone what you want. I’m a whore, a bitch. I really, really don’t care.”
She was utterly sincere about that.
“Ugly... bitch,” he wheezed, unable to stand.
Okay, so that one hurt a whole lot, but Emerie tried to ignore it as she stormed off.
Why do guys always call you ugly when you don’t give them what they want? And of course, Bryce would know. She was particularly sensitive to that insult.
Then again, she couldn’t remember if he’d ever complimented her.
I can’t. I can’t think about this right now.
She could dwell on it later... if she was still alive.
Emerie went down a few levels so she could enter the armoury. The guard wrote down that she was obtaining supplies, but didn’t stop her. Why would they? It was normal for guild members to come here for training purposes.
She headed back to her room, navigating the long and windy hallways slowly emptying of people. Zagros Fortress had always felt cold and foreboding, but it sent a chill through her more than usual.