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“You know,” Zahra began, offering her lover a mischievous grin, “this is without a doubt the stupidest plan you’ve ever had.”
Annoyance flashed in Nicolette’s green eyes, and she opened her mouth to shoot back a retort.
“Of course I’m in,” Zahra cut in before she had a chance to speak.
Nicolette huffed and crossed her arms. “Now you’re mocking me, aren’t you?”
She smiled and crossed the small room in order to wrap her arms around her lover. She pressed a kiss to the redhead’s brow. “Hardly, Lettie. I just think this is a bit risky, even for you. Despite that, I will still accompany you and help however I can.”
She sighed in response, eyes narrowing a little as she pulled away. “I never said you had to join me.”
“I know you didn’t say so, but I am deciding to tag along anyway.”
“You’re not even a Jenny,” Nicolette reminded her. “For all intents and purposes, you’re a visiting merchant from Nevarra.”
“Oh, Lettie, my love, you wound me. I thought the whole point of the Jennies was the ability to blend in, the ability to be anyone.”
She huffed, and lightly punched Zahra’s shoulder. “Even if I’m throwing myself into a risky situation does not mean I want to drag you into it right along with me.”
“Too bad. I like the danger.”
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
With her next exhale, Zahra loosed an arrow, taking a few moments to ensure it landed true. When the arrow did strike its target, felling the guard that was pursuing her lover through the streets of Val Royeaux, she notched another arrow and quickly moved on. In the alley below, Nicolette moved quickly and silently, swift as the shadows that served as her namesake. Zahra’s eyes swept across the streets once more and after being certain that they had no more pursuers, she darted to the edge of the roof and began to descend to street level.
The two met at the edge of the Summer Bazaar, among empty market stalls that stood like skeletal sentinels in the darkness. As the Nevarran huntress approached the Orlesian thief, she immediately took note of how her lover’s fingers were pressed to her side, slick with blood.
Zahra was immediately concerned - how had she not noticed before - but knew Nicolette rarely responded well to her fretting. Instead, she asked if she had retrieved what she had gone into the chateau for in the first place.
Nicolette nodded, holding up a small stack of letters. “It was almost too easy,” she breathed, before hissing in pain.
“Lettie…I told you it was risky going in there by yourself…”
“Well, then it’s a good thing that I didn’t ask for your opinion.”
Zahra crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight, cocking her hip a little as she looked at the redhead with an unimpressed expression.
The irritation dimmed from Nicolette’s eyes and she sheepishly averted her gaze. “Sorry…”
Zahra relaxed and moved to her side. “I’m just glad I was here to help in whatever way I could. Now, come. We should return to the alienage and get the wound patched up.” With that, she wrapped an arm around Nicolette’s shoulders and the two slowly made their way through the dark and empty streets.