35 The Ambush and the Enlightenmen (1/2)

The trapdoor closed with a thud, alarming Tylen. The arrows kept coming. They left no room for them to move. The spots they hit on the wall stayed in a close range. Even with the plywood as a shield, Tylen knew the tips would find its mark on his fingers.

The ambush was clearly well-prepared. Someone had been waiting.

Deelah vanished from her post.

Crawling on the floor as a pest, she squeezed herself between the hinges of the trapdoor. Once she passed through, she transformed back into a human. She fell down with her feet below her. She kicked the assassins that stood by the ladder, landing perfectly. In haste, she left them behind and continued down the stairs.

The Pirate Queen found Cleon and Maia engaged in combat. The two had their backs pressed against each other while a group in black cloaks surrounded them. The blue-haired pirate kept an eye on the nearest attackers. The redhead withdrew her hidden knives. She threw them at whoever tried to make a sudden movement.

The battle wasn't easy but they could hold them off.

Deelah came out of the tower's shadows as a rabbit. Sprinting through the weeds and the bushes, she stayed out of sight. When the plants became sparse, she turned into a chameleon and blended with the grass. She aimed for the forest where the arrows came from. She fumed in her mind since this form couldn't give her fast speed.

She needed someone to stall more time.

When the trapdoor didn't open, Raz knew Deelah had left. Her eyes darted between it and the window. She cursed their luck. The trapdoor just happened to be located directly in front of the window. It sounded too convenient for their attackers—whoever closed the door would have locked it as well.

The set up gave them no time to try and escape.

”Stay here.” Raz sternly told the Prince.

She took out her butterfly swords and rose to her feet. When no one else came for them, she knew that the two pirates below had been attacked. At first look, the tower didn't seem to have any hiding spots when they climbed. They might have missed a hidden passage. Her worries about two made her focus more on reaching the top quickly so they could leave right away.

She hissed at her mistake. How could a secret door pass by her sight?

The sergeant rolled on the floor until she kneeled under the window. She gazed at the wall where the arrows landed. Since they had an expert shooter in their hands, it didn't take long for her to notice a pattern. She stretched her arms to the sides and raised her knee slightly.

Three arrows flew consecutively, one after another.

Raz sprang into action.

Her butterfly sword sliced the fourth one in midair. Turning on her heel, she faced the window. Her sharp eyes searched the trees. More arrows came out of nowhere. She stepped back and pushed a heel against the floor.

Tylen watched Raz dance. For the nth time since he saw her in action, his mouth gaped. The sergeant really had superior skills. One by one, broken arrows littered the floor. Her butterfly swords flew around her like razor wings.

The agility she displayed looked unreal. None of their knights had executed such prowess. He could barely see where her blades were. They became a blur of metal beacons. They moved faster than any arrow that came.

Raz also stayed in place. Her feet absolutely planted on the floor, only her upper body moved. The arrows began to change directions. Their destinations had opted for a wider range. The shooters must have noticed that the sergeant had studied their movements.

But no matter how high, how low, how near or how far the arrows aimed, they met their demise with her swords.

The Prince could only sit in awe.

The Pirate Queen ran until she passed by the archers. Since their eyes were on the tower, a sneak attack from behind would be her best chance. She crawled up a tree with light steps. She chose a branch that was a few meters from the shooters.

They wore black outfits and cloaks, similar to the ones that attacked Maia and Cleon. The lower half of their faces were hidden behind masks. No sign or embroidery hinted her on who this group could be. However, their arrows made of carbon had silver tails. That gave her a hint.

She counted a total of three. Like she predicted, their attentioned stayed on the tower. One of them stood up from his post and unexpectedly knocked on three arrows at a time. The Pirate Queen smirked. She figured Raz must have made a move.

Not one to miss the action, she placed her weight on her rear feet. They lengthened and sharpened into claws while the front ones spread out on either side. Bronze and white feathers replaced the scale and a pair of wings sprouted. The head of an eagle replaced the large beady eyes. A loud squawk echoed up in the air and through the branches.