Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Five - Panic at the Ball

Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Five - Panic at the Ball

Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Five - Panic at the Ball

Bastion threw me to the ground.

My breath left with a whoosh, cutting off any protests I had to the rough treatment. And then the sylph jumped up onto me and covered my torso and head with his body just as bits of masonry and wood started to rain down around us.

The noise wasnt as loud as I would have expected, more of a muffled thump followed by a heavy shift from the ground under me, as if it had dropped down half a foot.

Harpies all around us squawked and screamed, and the band's music ground to a discordant halt amidst the shattering of plates and glass.

The moment the worst of it was done, the crowds across the dance floor started to shift and move, rushing towards the exits. Some had gashes and cuts from the stuff falling from above.

Are you well? Bastion asked.

I nodded and pushed him off me so that I could breathe. What happened? I called back.

He looked up again. I could see the horror in his gaze as he took in the location of the explosion.

The third floor, where the Sylphfree delegation was sitting. I need to get up there! he said.

I nodded and jumped to my feet before scooping him up. For all that he was pretty well muscled, and wearing armour, he was still a very lithe man, and short at that. It was no harder to pick him up than picking up a kid.

My legs bunched up under me while he started to protest, and then we shot up and towards the third floor.

I was worried for my friends, but they had all been below, near the dance floor, and they had each other. Rosaline and Awen would look after each other, and I didnt doubt that Amaryllis would find Clementine and make sure she was okay.

All those worries faded back as my jump carried me and Bastion into a thick cloud of white-ish smoke that obscured everything.

I pushed some mana into my cleaning magic aura and the smoke receded away from us with a wave just as I landed.

Thank you, Bastion said as he regained his feet. The paladin didnt wait so much as a second before rushing towards the back of the room.

The smoke was thicker there, so I followed close after him.

We only made it halfway to the back before Bastion paused.

It didnt take much to see why. There was someone on the ground. A familiar sylph face, with unseeing eyes looking towards the ceiling.

Bastion paused and fell to one knee next to Countess Evalyn. He closed her eyes while I watched. I... I didnt know how to act, what to do.

Captain?

Id seen dead people before. In funeral homes and in movies, but those had always been at a distance, far away and...

Captain Bunch!

I snapped around towards Bastion who was looking at me. Can you clear the air some more?Updated chapters at novelhall.com

I nodded. The dead could wait for the living. There could be others who were hurt.

A bit of concentration later and I pushed a good three-quarters of my mana into a burst of Cleaning that pushed out of me like an expanding bubble. The dust on the ground faded away, the smoke cleared, and soon we could take in the scene in full.

It wasnt nice.

There were sylphs tossed about all over and more than one was obviously injured.

Inquisitor Storm stumbled our way, somehow still graceful despite being quite bloody and disheveled. Bastion! That one! She pointed.

Bastion and I both turned towards the far end of the balcony where a dark-feathered harpy was running towards one of the little exits meant for the serving staff.

After him! Bastion cried.

I didnt need to be told twice and kept after the paladin to charge across the dining area after the suspect.

The door was slammed shut before us, but Bastion removed his sword from his side with a flourish. He spun while still running, and sliced up. The door burst apart into heavy wooden chunks.

The harpy was in the middle of a long corridor, shoving a pair of maids aside so that all the plates and platters they were holding crashed to the ground.

Amaryllis was the next to burst through the doors. She looked miffed. Not angry, just annoyed. Probably because her spells hadnt taken Rainnewt out. Did that bastard turn into a sylph? she asked. Or was that an illusion?

I dont know, I said. I... didnt you say that illusion magic isnt that good?

Not usually, she said. But most people who dabble in it are assassins and the like, so who knows what kind of skills they have?

I swallowed, the image of Evalyn still fresh. Oh, yeah, I guess.

Bastion hissed and turned back towards the exit. Thank you, Captain, Lady Albatross, your aid wont be forgotten, he said, before stomping off.

Amaryllis watched him go, then allowed herself to slump a little. You see anything about the assassin?

It was Rainnewt, I said. The voice...and he recognized me.

She blinked. Huh. Well, thats unexpected.

The others? I asked.

Fine. I was coming back from finding Clementine when I heard glass breaking. I figured it was worth investigating.

Thanks, I said.

No problem. Now come on, Im certain well have plenty of curious stickybeaks asking all sorts of questions before the night is out. Maybe this ball is more amusing than I first thought.

People died, I said.

Amaryllis winced. Ah. I didnt know. She sighed. Well, that makes it an absolute mess, doesnt it?

I nodded. Yeah. We... uh, I guess we should go see the others? Or, do you think we could help?

There are some healers around already, near the duel grounds, and I dont doubt that the sylph delegation have their own. They do have a reputation for having the worlds greatest healers.

Oh, okay, I said.

I didn't know why, exactly, but I was hit by a wave of tiredness that just dragged me down. So I moved over to Amaryllis and wrapped my arms around her shoulders and stuffed my head into the crook of her neck.

What are you doing, you idiot? she asked softly as she returned the hug.

Recharging, I said.

She snorted. Idiot.

I nodded into her side and just let the stress ebb away. Hugging makes things better, I said.

I couldnt see it, but I just knew she rolled her eyes. You are far too affectionate for your own good. We should go see the others. Awen was worried about you.

Right, I said as I pulled back. Thanks for the hug.

She shook her head. Dont mention it. Literally. Dont. I dont need a reputation.

It wouldnt be that bad, I said. A reputation of being a caring and loving friend.

Of being a soft-hearted fool, more like. Speaking of, that Bastion man, what do you think of him?

Hes a bit, uh, formal. But I think he has a good heart. He tried to shield me when the explosion went off, and he seemed to care for the others in his group.

Hmm, Amaryllis hummed. Thats not much to go on. I suppose well have to see. Now come on, I suspect that this party is over.

Not the nicest way to end a party, I said.

No, no it truly wasnt. I expect the city guard to be crawling all over the place being ineffective in no time. We should see about getting back home before that. And perhaps we ought to get ready to move sooner rather than later. I have the impression that things are going to take a turn for the complicated, and I left the world of politics and backstabbing for a reason.

I bet you were really good at politicking, I said.

She rolled her eyes, this time right in front of me. Come on, idiot.

***