Song-- Play Dirty// Kevin McAllistor
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"The rebels?"

Hector nodded furiously and ran a hand over his sweat covered face, pushing damp locks out of his eyes. He leaned back, trying to look further down the hallway. Suddenly, screams erupted from one end and he leaped inside her room, slamming the door shut. He paced about the room anxiously.

"Which part?" Ava questioned. Hector knew exactly what she was asking about.

"The ones from Cennet and Verdie's border. I guess Barquet is going all bitch on us." He tried to lighten the mood but thuds and yells from above them ruined any chances of that.

"Shit."

That was the only thing Ava could say. Verdie was the country Barquet was supposedly allying with and the Cennet-Verdie relations had been tense over the past years. If the rebels were truly from there, blood was gonna spill that night.

"We can't possibly hide in here! They could barge in any moment!" Avyanna exclaimed.

"I know, I know! But we can't just waltz out the door either, can we?" Hector pointed.

Ava's eyes flicked all over the room and then landed on the wine-colored drapes. They were long enough and could be used to rappel down the balcony. She immediately ripped the drapes off and started tying their ends together. Hector looked a bit blank at first, but having caught on soon enough ran over to help her.

They stepped out in the deck. By now the drizzle had turned into a full-fledged storm. Ava tied one end of their makeshift rope to the railing. Throwing the other end down, she looked at Hector, whose face had been drained of all color.

"READY?" She yelled above the rising winds.

Hector gave an emphatic shrug, his body drenched from waist up. Ava swung one leg over and then the other, holding onto the drapes for dear life. As she slid halfway down, she looked up trying to locate Hector.

"Come on Kingsley! Come down!" She shouted, trying to be heard over the roaring torrent.

She felt the drapes sway as Hector clung to them. Eventually, he rappelled down to where she was. Just as she was about to plant her feet on the wall for an easier descent, her hands slipped from the drapes. Hector leaned down and caught her arm before she could completely lose grip.

Now the added weight of Ava and Hector was too much and they heard a faint rip from above. The drapes started to sway. The both of them looked at each other, sheer terror in their eyes. Hector swung them away from the wall, building enough momentum that they would land on the hedge below.

The curtains finally gave way and they braced for impact. But apparently, they were mid-swing and crashed into the windows of the first floor. Glass shattered as they landed on the floor. Ava held her fingers to her temple and withdrew them to see blood on them.

"Holy crap."

Hector groaned from beside her, shards of glass sticking out from his hands. His head shot up suddenly and his eyes perked.

"Did you hear that?" He asked Avyanna.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Hear what? I don't hear anything."

He looked at her. "Exactly."

Ava's eyes widened as shadows danced outside the door of the room they crashed in. They made quite the din so it wasn't surprising they were found.

After one fell blow, the door was thrown open, revealing an entire group of Verdie rebels. There were too many of them and Ava was considering other escape routes when she saw Hector take a stance next to her. Her shoulders drooped in realization of what they were gonna have to do.

"Shit."

The men were walking towards them, inching rather as if teasing them. Ava rolled her neck and let out a sharp exhale.

"Here goes..."

Her eyes scanned the cluster. There were about six men no protective layers and each of them had a dagger and a revolver. She glanced over at Hector but he looked just as inexperienced.

If they wanted to leave here alive, they'd have to take advantage of the element of surprise. Ava took hold of the candelabra next to her and flung it on one of the rebel men. He yelled out in pain as the flames licked his flesh.

This distracted them enough for Hector to run forward and take on another one of the men. A middle-aged man, red hair and scars all across his face, made a run at Ava. She pulled her hand back and as soon as he was at arm's length, her fist connected with his jaw. The rebel's head bucked backward. Ava shot her hand forward and slid his revolver out of the holster, firing three shots at his chest. The redheaded rebel fell to his knees then slumped over.

Ava's first kill. It was supposed to scar her for life and traumatize her, but it felt oddly amazing. She looked at the rebel Hector had managed to knock out, then to the burning man at whom she flung the candelabra and then to the lifeless man at her feet.

'Three down, three to go'

Another crazed rebel charged at Kingsley who, with his superior upper body strength, slammed the man's head into the wall. A sickening crack was followed by a thud.

Of the remaining two, one fled and the other tried to attack, but tripped over the corpse of his fellow rebel, ramming straight into Kingsley's blow. Hector pushed the man down to his knees and held the dagger to his throat.

Looking up at Ava, he smirked and told her, "You don't wanna see this. Turn around."

Ava glimpsed a figure entering the room behind Kingsley. She cocked her head and gave him an equally smug smirk.

"Yeah, you'd better."

Hector furrowed his brows and turned around. A seven-foot-tall man with long hair and a maddened expression strode in, aiming for Kingsley, who had frozen to the spot. He closed his eyes, bracing for the hit but instead heard two deafening gunshots.

Uncovering his eyes, he was greeted with a giant man lying on the ground, a hole on his head, and one on his chest.

Hector whipped his head around to face Ava.

"Your aim is bloody brilliant!" He remarked in awe.

Ava raised an eyebrow and gestured towards the whimpering rebel on his knees. Hector snapped out of it and sliced the dagger across the man's throat. Ava flinched but didn't look away. They shared a glance then looked around at the destruction they caused.

Six corpses, half the room aflame, two kids with a revolver, and a dagger.

They exited the room and Hector made a beeline for the entrance. Ava grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"What? Don't tell me you wanna stay here any longer..."

Ava sighed and shook her head. "The twins and Esmeralda are probably still inside. We need to help them leave."

"Avyanna, these were not the only rebels inside. There are way more on the higher floors an-"

"Exactly! And that is why they need our help!" Ava countered.

Hector opened his mouth to retaliate but shut it back again. He shook his head and walked towards the staircase, muttering to himself, "I cannot believe you talked me into this..."

Just as they were about to set foot on the staircase, someone yelled from outside.

"AVYANNA! HECTOR! WE ARE OUTSIDE!"

Hector audibly sighed in relief.

"Thank the lords!" He grabbed Avyanna's hand and made a run for it. As soon as they got out of the Council of Springacre, Esmeralda led both of them to their carriages.

Both the kids hauled themselves inside and almost instantly the carriage started moving. Ava looked out the window at the Council, fire bursting out of the first floor. The orange-yellow flames waved, their tips engulfing the building in a cage-like structure.

She couldn't look at the sight anymore, so she slumped back in her seat. The Evermore's sat facing them, their faces white as a sheet. Beside her, Kingsley was taking shallow breaths, his face covered in perspiration, and had splotches of black soot from the fire.

He was looking at the dagger in his trembling hands, the blood on it still wet and staining his palms. Ava reassuringly placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and gave her a weak smile.

Kids. That's what they were. And they just killed six men.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Sorry for the late update! But I was kinda lost on how to carry this chapter ahead...

I also found this amazing song and it went with the theme so I'm like, why not?

anyways, comment and vote!

Until then,

Toodles Cinnamon rolls 😘😘