I moved through it carefully, approaching the door with as quiet and slow of steps as I could, trying not to kick up too much dust. It wouldn't do me much good to sneak into this place if I just ended up sneezing my way into a pair of shackles.
Stifling the shiver that rushed through my body at the thought of being at someone else's mercy once more—a feeling I'd come to know far too well since taking on this body.
The doorknob twisted easily, and I was surprised when the hinges on the door didn't immediately squeal at me when I pulled it open far enough to peer out. The hallway outside was bare, and there were three doors lining the wall opposite of the room I was in. No signs of anyone moving around outside, though.
I closed the door slowly and then withdrew one of my daggers. I'd unlocked a new ability after breaking into the palace, and now seemed as good a time as any to give it a try.
Focusing my mind on the ability, I summoned a window before me, gold words fading into view.
Viper's Bite - Coats the user's weapon in mana-summoned poison. Any target struck with the poisoned weapon becomes infected with a slow-spreading paralysis Debuff. Effects last 20 seconds. Ineffective against undead.
Being able to paralyze enemies sounded handy, especially in situations where sneaking might be difficult. But how long did it take to spread?
I thought the question as if directing it to the System and was pleased when the window updated with new information.
Paralysis effects struck area immediately. Lingering effect spreads throughout any attached body parts with limited effect. Effect cannot be stacked. No further information available.
A scoff left my lips. While the context it had given me was useful, the fact there was no further information about it was less than ideal. I supposed, though, that I didn't have much room to complain, as it didn't require me to carry around any tonics or oils that I would need to apply to my weapons. I peered down at the dagger in my hand, focusing my attention on the blade.
[Viper's Bite].
I felt something slip out of me, a glowing purple-like shimmer of light that seemed to float like smoke as it left my hand and wrapped around the dagger's blade. I used [Insight] on the weapon and smiled when it issued a response.
Ability applied. Striking targets with this weapon will slowly paralyze their body parts.
I watched as the effect faded until the blade looked like any other dagger, and then I turned my attention back to the door.
I checked to make sure nobody had come up the hall while I'd been applying [Viper's Bite] and then slipped out into the hallway when I was confident I wasn't going to be grabbed immediately. Deciding where to go next was the difficult part, as I was still getting used to moving around like a thief. Ultimately, I decided to try one of the doors on the opposite wall.
The first was locked, so I moved to the second. It was unlocked, but the room inside was even more bare than the one that I'd entered through. Why did these people have so many empty rooms?
I closed the second door and moved to the third, dagger still perched within my grip, and twisted the knob. It, too, was unlocked, so I pushed it open slightly, revealing an ornately decorated office with a large desk in the center. I narrowed my eyes and was about to close the door when I spotted something shining on the desk.
Pushing into the room, I let the door close behind me. A large couch took up most of one wall, a wardrobe nestled between bookshelves littered with leatherbound tomes on the other. A high-backed chair, almost resembling a throne, sat behind the desk, a large window slightly open behind it, letting the cool air of the day inside. Contempt bubbled within me at the sight of the chair, but I pushed it down, instead crossing the room and picking up the shining gem that had caught my attention.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Envy replaced the contempt, anger also burning at the edge of my consciousness. Men like this did not deserve riches like this gem. I shook my head and set it back down. Everything within me craved to add it to my stash—something that was especially slim these days—but I had nowhere to put it. I hadn't replaced the satchel I'd lost when I'd been captured in the palace. Perhaps I could circle back for it after I was finished.
Since I was already here, I thumbed through some of the documents strewn across the desk. There were several ledgers. Each one was written in sloppy imperial script. Whoever ran this group of thugs was at least halfway intelligent, or they had someone doing all the heavy lifting for them. Either way, I was mildly impressed. Perhaps killing them all was not the best course of action. Not that I'd come here specifically to do that. But, it also wasn't wholly off the table, either.
I returned the documents to where I'd found them, and then tightened my grip on my dagger and slinked back to the door, peering out into the hallway. Voices filtered up from one end of the hall, and I watched as two men appeared around a corner. One was overly large with a broad face and a nose that looked as if it had been broken several times and never healed correctly. The other was smaller and dressed much more nicely. His facial features were almost impossible to see thanks to the manicured hair that covered his upper lip and jawline. The two moved closer, talking in whispered voices as they walked.
I closed the door slowly, letting the lock click back into place, and then looked around the office once more. They could be going to the locked room, but a part of me guessed they were coming here. To this room.
My eyes alighted on the wardrobe once more, and I crossed to it in a few steps and pulled the door open. I was lucky it wasn't locked, but unlucky in that the thing was crowded with neatly folded clothes. I let out an annoyed grunt and closed the door back, looking for anywhere else to hide. The only other place that made any sense whatsoever was under the desk, as it had a solid front that would keep anyone from seeing me immediately. The downside to that, of course, was that I'd be stuck under the desk and absolutely noticeable if someone sat down.
That only left one option…
I rushed to the window and pushed it open the rest of the way. It gave way to a slight ledge—only a little bigger than the others I'd had to use today—which extended to either side. It wasn't a perfect plan, and my fingers and feet ached at the thought of trying to hang on for too long, but I didn't have much choice. The voices reached the hall outside the door.
Pushing my panic down, I shoved my dagger into its sheath and then climbed out the window and onto the ledge, slowly pushing the window until it was only slightly ajar.
The voices filtered out from the office and I heard the sound of the door closing as they moved inside. I hurried to the edge of the ledge, where I hopefully wouldn't be seen through the window, and waited, warms stretched wide, holding onto the stone as best I could.
I chanced a quick look down and felt my stomach drop. Thankfully I was on the back of the building, but that didn't make me any less visible. The street below was smaller than Dock Street, but it still had a large crowd of people moving up and down it. I turned my eyes back to the stone ahead of me. Some primal part of me telling myself that if I didn't see the people below me, maybe they wouldn't see me. It was a ridiculous notion.
"Have we hard anything out of the old woman?" one of the voices inside asked. It was a smooth voice. One that you'd expect to hear from a man of great respect. A leader.
"Not yet." The second voice was gruffer, the words harsher. As if imperial wasn't his first tongue. "We saw the other woman leave. The one our scouts said was captured in the palace."
My mind began to race at that. How many people knew about me? The number was growing far too quickly for my liking.
"Interesting," the first voice cooed.
A shadow moved at the window and I tried to tuck my body tighter against the wall.
"I wonder who she is," the smooth talking voice continued. "And she hasn't made contact with the Machem Street group yet?"
"Our scouts lost her shortly after she left the old woman's shop. No sign of her at the inn or the shipman's home."
I couldn't hold back the panic anymore. My heart surged into my throat and my fingers grew slick with sweat. They knew about the inn and Will's house? What else could they possibly know?
Silence followed for a few breaths and I felt like I might slip at any second. I tried to tighten my fingers against the stone, but the slickness on my fingertips made it almost impossible. Panic surged through my body as the adrenaline beckoned me to move. To run. To get as far away from these people as I could.
They know who you are. What you are. The voice in my head whispered. I tried to ignore it, but it grew louder. Chanting at me like a group of priests at a temple.
"I need some time to think," the leader finally said.
A grunt from further in was the only other noise that followed, and then the sound of the door closing. I waited, watching the shadow of the man as he continued to stare out at the city. My city.
Did he know I was out here?
I waited, fingers steadily losing their grip as the muscles in my legs began to cramp. I had to move now.
Taking a deep breath, I moved as quickly as I could, shoving my body sideways toward the open window. My hand smacked the glass, shoving it open as I pulled myself inside, using [Swift Strike] to boost my movement speed. The man looked up at me, shock painted brightly across his face, a grunt of surprise growing from his throat. I dropped in front of him, free hand grabbing for my dagger.
My grip closed around the hilt and I drew it up, bringing the blade to the man's throat, but not quite touching it.
"Don't make another noise," I growled.
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