ARTHUR

I run through the dimly lit streets, past flickering lights and dilapidated buildings to reach the Warehouse where Soraya is. I take cover behind the wall, peeking out to scout the area. It has high walls that are peeling in places, revealing the brickwork underneath, narrow windows, a large iron door as its entrance, and a roof that is missing a few tiles. Rundown but teeming with activity.

A group of guards wearing an assortment of clothing, from leather armor to only shirts in tatters and pants. Their weapons are all makeshift and improvised, with some carrying clubs or crude spears made by sharpening wooden sticks. "Arthur, we need a plan," Emrys stops behind me, bending over his knees as he breathes heavily.

"I am not letting her suffer another day in this place." I stare back at him, and he slowly straightens up to rest an arm on the wall, leaning his weight slightly against it.

"We're not barging in through the front door." Nana arrives with Mathilda in tow, their chests heaving with exhaustion. "Listen to me, Arthur, we're her only hope. We cannot fail." He turns to Mathilda as he protests; she is placing a hand over her heart before she lowers herself to sit on the ground. "Are you okay, Mathilda?" She nods softly with closed eyes, taking in deep breaths.

"We beat up Ben pretty good, but it took two of us." Emrys nods in agreement with Nana. "Who knows who else he has in there; the Assassin was pretty good. For all we know, there's more in there." Nana crosses her arms.

"She's right, Arthur. Remember the Misty Woods? We went in blind and nearly died." I turn to look at the Warehouse. Would Nazeer want to bring in his men to attack this place if he knew Soraya is here? Evander and Kenny might pitch in if I can assure them that this is a means to peace, to end Big Mouse's gang in a single stroke.

"You're right, we're going to need a plan and everyone's help." A smile breaks out on Emrys's face. "But what if it's just us? What if Nazeer wants no part of this? What if Evander and Kenny decide that it's better not to go to war?"

"Let me bring my arrows, and we win." He turns around to scan for high ground, pointing at it in the distance that is too far away. "We're going to need bait." He turns to look at Nana, who scoffs before smiling in disbelief. "Just an idea." He shrugs a shoulder.

"I saw a gambling den close by. What if I start a distraction there? Maybe some of the guards would run over to help out the place." Nana places a hand on her hips.

"It's on the other side of the church; my arrows won't reach it." Emrys waves away the idea.

"Two distractions would thin out their base; I will play bait as well. Lead them close to the church." Mathilda rises to her feet with an enthusiastic smile and tone.

"I have to admit, I didn't expect you to be the adventurous type." Nana looks at her with a playful smile. I'd like to believe she thinks of her as the little sister she lost lately. I think she's having a competition against Emrys as to who can get her to bed first. "Should we officially welcome her as a Firelight?"

"You guys head home; I've got friends to bring in for the fight." Another day of suffering but it will not go unpunished, it is not enough to break her out to only run and hide, when we go in tomorrow night it would not only be to rescue her. But to deliver swift vengeance for their role in this, there will be nothing left of them. A massacre.

EMRYS

I escort her home to the echoes of our own footsteps, the subtle smell of daisies lingering in the air from her perfume, and the chill of the night air as it breezes past. My heart wrenches as I steal a glance at her. Should I ask her? Do I dare to? Rather, do I have a right to?

"What is it?" Her voice, though soft, carries a hint of annoyance. Her home is only a block away. If I don't ask her now, I will never know. No, if I don't ask her now, I can't possibly fall asleep. The thought would bounce around in my skull forever.

"What happened back there? In the Blooming Rose?" I was going out of my mind trying to break through that door, worried sick about what he might do to her. But when I broke in, or rather, when she let me in, it is Big Mouse who is restrained to a bed. "Did you... do anything?"

"Do anything?" A defensive tone in her voice. "Pray tell, what is it that you think I did with him?" She turns to face me, hands on her hips challengingly with the full moon behind her.

"Nothing. I hope." My heart is beating faster than usual. Would she do something so foolish just to get to him? It is not something that I think she would, and yet, I had never expected to see what I saw. "You surprised me before, and you surprise me now." Who would have expected that she would pull me in for a kiss? I wasn't expecting it.

"Life is full of surprises." She frowns. "You may have an even bigger surprise waiting for you, so brace yourself." She folds her arms, staring intently at me before turning her face away, her hard expression breaking. "Perish whatever image you have of me; I am not what you assume." Her voice is low, with a hint of sadness in them.

My brows furrow. Wanting to pry into her thoughts with questions, but it would only anger her, and I don't need to know what happened in that room. I need her to understand where I am coming from, even if I have no right to. "I was worried for you." She meets my gaze, almost coldly. "I wanted to believe our kiss was special when—"

"Was that your first kiss?" A subtle smile escapes her, her tone almost mocking. She tilts her head slightly as she gazes deeply into my eyes, approaching with her fingers tracing my jaw. "I didn't kiss him if that's what you were wondering." My muscles relax as relief washes over me; I got tense without even realizing. "It seems you're just being jealous." A hint of amusement in her voice.

"Of course I am." I grab her invading hand, holding it close to my chest over my heart. "Maybe you could love and leave me just as fast." I inhale deeply, noticing the frustration in my voice. "But I can't; you're all I think about."

"Careful. Don't go having dreams about tying me up." Her tone is playful as she smiles mischievously, turning her back and walking away. Her words stun me before I gather my thoughts, hurrying to close in on her and grabbing her by the hand as she reaches the door.

"Mathilda." She turns to look at me, her other hand pushing the door half open with a satisfied grin on her face. She is no innocent angel, of that I am sure now, and she's playing me. But I'll be her fool. "I love you, truly with all my heart—"

"And soul. Sweet dreams." She smiles before entering her house, closing the door in my face and locking it. Would it be foolish of me to chase after someone knowing it won't work? Do I give her up? Am I able to? I turn my back towards the door to walk home. The cold breeze carrying whispers of an unknown future.

NANA

The inn that is usually warm and merry is tense with violence unacted, with only the sound of nails being hammered into wood instead of laughter and clinking glasses. Evander sits behind the bar, his features highlighted by the sunlight filtering through the window as he watches the ongoing repair.

Nazeer, guarded by Khaz and Bors, huddles in one corner, engaged in whispered conversations as they stare at Junior, who is sitting in the other corner. Despite betraying Big Mouse, he still has a dozen men under his wings—men with sunken eyes and gaunt faces, more dead than alive, scratching every once in a while as they hang around restlessly.

"Where is she?" Arthur breaks his silence as he stares at me, and I motion my head towards Emrys, who sits by the bar. Elbow resting on the counter as he rubs at his forehead, still plagued by the same thoughts from last night, I am sure. I thought they'd figure it out when I left them to their own devices, but it seems things have gone worse.

The door opens, and there she stands—a black silhouette with the light of the sun on her back, like she is the woman of the hour. She glances to Nazeer as she walks towards us, bowing her head low in respect before glancing Junior's way. Her eyes widen with surprise, if not horror, and she moves to sit beside me. "What is he doing here?"

I shrug. Who is to say he won't stab us in the back like he did Nazeer years ago? Bringing him in on the plan is foolish; he should've been kept blind if Arthur wants to make use of him. His role is simple, after all, and Arthur would be the one working with him. "Junior, if you will." Arthur motions for him to take center stage.

Junior rises from the freshly painted chair, smiling like an idiot as he stands at the center of the room before taking out a paper in his hand—the layout of the Warehouse, guards, and Soraya's possible location. As far as the Warehouse guards were concerned, Junior was still one of them. But that's the thing—how can we trust someone playing both sides? Is he one of us now or still one of them?

"You went in there alone; we have no one to confirm the truth of this information you bring us." Nazeer stares at him intently, both hands resting on the grip of his walking cane as he sits on the wooden chair. "For all we know, you are leading us into a trap. What guarantee do we have that you are telling the truth?"

"That is for Arthur to worry about, and he trusts me." Junior smiles proudly, looking at everyone and stopping in my direction. "Everyone else will be hitting the other dens, while our brave little Mathilda plays bait." He eyes her intently before taking out a map of the district, with the main establishments of Big Mouse's area circled all over.

"So we will be divided when we are stronger in a united front?" Kenny protests. "I say we round up everyone we could and knock at the front gate."

"Big Mouse has connections; they see us coming, and I am sure we'll find Enforcers blockade on our way out." He turns to face Nazeer. "Anyone feel like killing Enforcers?" He smiles. "Unless you have friends in high places, you're not going to be able to use homeless trash as scapegoats."

"And attacking in small numbers won't ring the alarm?"

"He's expecting an attack on the Warehouse, not an all-out war." He smiles widely, revealing a crooked set of teeth. "I am sure your man Bors can beat Valdez in an arm wrestle; he has a fragile ego, so work him. Turn it into a brawl." He turns to look at Nana. "And I know Vergil, he's very handsy, and you're definitely his type. You just do you."

"Do me? Hah. Junior...you talk as if you still know me." He ignores me.

"Evander and Kenny will watch the entrance, with Emrys and Mathilda once they're done." He takes one last look at everyone. "Just random brawl incidents in different places at the same time, no need for alarms." He smiles confidently.

"And Strangler Ben?" Mathilda stares at him; the hand she keeps under her table is trembling. And I am not sure if it's Junior that scares her or Ben. Both of them, perhaps? She inhales deeply to keep her facade.

"I don't know where he's hiding, but I know he's in recovery." He rubs at his chin, eyeing Evander before he stares back at her. "When we attack the Warehouse, reinforcements will arrive; that's why we need the entrance guarded to avoid fighting on two fronts. That's the wildcard in this whole operation...I don't know his hired mercenaries, but that's why we have Evander working rear guard. The best of us."

"What I see is us being pinned down from both sides; you and your gang will be on one end of it." Evander finally speaks. "We still have to trust you, Junior."

"Then my gang will bail out of this one, just Arthur and your men, Evander." He shrugs. "I've done my part; I got Arthur the information he needs. I am only here because Arthur insists that everyone would be accepting of my return."

"Bors will go with your gang for this arm wrestling." Bors turns to look at Nazeer with his eyes wide in surprise, then immediately accepts the decision without protest. "My men and I will go with Arthur; Soraya is ours...we should be the one to fetch her."

"Just don't get lost." Junior places down the layout with a smirk before returning to his seat.

"I'd rather take my chances with a full frontal assault, a united front." Kenny places down his mug of ale on the table. "I don't like dividing our strength."

"Anyone who wants out may leave immediately so we can figure out a different plan." Arthur takes everyone's attention as he rests his waist against the counter, arms crossing. "Junior is trustworthy; he put me a knife's reach away from Big Mouse, and that's how I found out where Soraya is."

"That's the thing, Arthur. They know we're coming to rescue her. What makes you think she's still there?" Mathilda raised the same concern I have; for all we know, she's moved somewhere else by now.

"Junior confirmed it, and his man on the inside will confirm it again before we attack tonight."

A frustrated chuckle escapes Mathilda. "Once again, this entire plan hinges on Junior's credibility. Is that a wise thing to do?"

Junior laughs, and he leans forward on his table to stare at her. "Sweetheart, still mad at me, are you?" He smiles wickedly. "I didn't touch anything, did I?" He blows her a kiss, much to her disgust and frustration. "Why don't I make myself hostage here? If I am lying...kill me."

"Bartrand." Bartrand turns to look at Evander, his hammer stopping midswing. "Chain him up in the basement." He slams down his hammer on the nail, putting the repaired chair where it belongs and escorts Junior into the basement. "Then it is settled?"