Page 140 of A Dead Man's B-Side
The once shy girl jerked a nod, pulling out a wrapped piece of leather before hiding it back in the satchel she brought along. It was the first time I’d seen Marigold so determined and present. Her eyes were almost gleaming with what I later understood was bloodlust. And from the packaging she pulled out, I could see why.
When Ajax departed for the party, Wolf shivered against the night chill and shuffled around as we waited.
“He couldn’t have told us to meet later? We needed to come here so early and wait in the cold?” August whined.
Paris shrugged, her heavy fur coat that didn’t seem ideal for the night’s task, though no one dared tell her, fluffed around her shoulders and seemed to keep her warm enough. “It’s not too bad.”
August sent her a stink eye before shoving his hands into his unreliable pockets.
After a few moments, I peeked around the building, shrouded and concealed by the dark countryside sky. I finally found the coast to be clear, saying as much.
Looking back, we were entirely too obvious; a disparate bunch creeping through the crisp grass from around the back of Abbot House until we reached the side wall of Fenlon Hall. It was merely by chance that we hadn’t been caught.
It wasn’t exactly hard to find the right window, what with the cold weather and every other one seeming to be bolted shut against the chill.
I looked up at our only way in, which was situated about a meter above our heads. “First floor, my ass,” I grumbled.
Wolf and I helped lift everyone in, Rain slipping in gracefully, Paris as well. Marigold stumbled, trying to find her balance as her feet were pressed against our interlocked hands. Paris and Rain helped pull her up, and August came afterward. “You know, I could do this myself. I just want to give you all the heroic credit–”
“Just get along with it, my feet are numb,” Wolf grunted out, his kind face gone along with the warmth.
August grumbled and pressed his hands against both our shoulders before jumping up and reaching for the windowsill.
When only Wolf and I were left, he raised his eyebrows a beat and grinned. “Ladies first.”
I shrugged. “That’s not as smart a remark as you think it is. Have fun lifting yourself up.”
The curls of his lips dropped as he bent his knees and interlocked his fingers.
When I was safe on the sleek wooden floor of the parlour that was considered a study room, we all watched for Wolf, preparing to reach down for him. Instead, he smirked and gestured for us to back away in a hushed whisper.
I scrunched my face at his stupidity but watched nonetheless as he backed up a few feet. After a deep breath, he came bolting towards the wall, and I almost thought he was going to run into it had he not jumped and pressed his foot against the bricks, leveraging himself up to the windowsill.
I raised my brows and whistled in surprise until Rain swirled towards me with a glare. “Shhh,” she hissed out.
I held my hands up and moved to help Wolf in. For some reason, he’d kicked up again, even with my support, and I lost balance, pulling him down to the floor along with me.
We fell with a thud, and Rain seemed to be losing her mind in silence before we froze, waiting for any approaching footsteps that might’ve come to search for the sound that gave us away.
Done before we even got started. True Founder’s Society failures.
Except, nothing came. And after a few more seconds of silence, just to be sure, we stood and dusted ourselves off. Paris was holding in her laugh with a black, gloved hand covering her mouth, and I wanted to smile along with her. At least to catch her eye and see if we were still on the same page.
On our way out, she met my gaze and lifted her lips in a small, genuine smile. But its size didn’t take away from its significance.
The four of us made it up to the observatory–a large and circular room at the top of Fenlon Hall–without issue. A room I’d never been to with a dome glass ceiling that allowed for a view of the night sky and all its stars. The party was, just as Ajax had mentioned, in full swing. Music and drinks were flowing, and people were dancing. It felt as if I’d walked into a Gatsby party and hadn’t realized it. The space was dark, save for candles illuminating it and the glimmer of gold antiques around the room reflecting the light. People were moving, faces flashing against the light before disappearing into the darkness. But they didn’t stumble over their steps or lose their footing. They moved around each other in confidence, in booming laughs and conversations that didn’t push too loud over the music.
We enveloped into the crowd like a second skin, moving according to the plan we’d formed, separating for our respective tasks.
Ajax was the one to consider pairing up based on strengths and weaknesses.
Marigold and August would be too easy to spot, their status making them stand out at a Fenlon Society event. Besides, August and Marigold’s jobs were of importance once we caught the mouse.
I watched Wolf approach two boys I had later placed names to their faces.
Ratticus Willoughby and Herman Kline.
How utterly horrid to form around the tongue.
