The Way We Fall

Chapter 36 (Tigris)

TW: Death, violence, battle aftermath

The inkbloods were quick, she'd give them that. The moment she made her proclamation, they scattered, cloaks flowing behind them like trails of obsidian blood. She could see miniature glass vials of the illegal substance tucked in their sleeves, writhing like some monstrous serpent in the confines of a glass cell.

Disgust flipped her stomach. With every blink, she saw Finn lying prone on an infirmary cot. She swung her sword out with a roar, slicing into the side of the fleeing cloaks. A bullet whistled past her ears, and Aodh had caught another one of the fleeing inkbloods in the leg, sending them crumpling to the ground. Glass shattered against the cobblestones, mingling with blood. Tigris watched in horror as the black sludge peeled away from the pools of scarlet, like a living beast.

"Tigris! On your right!" Aodh's shout drew her attention. She was moving her sword before she could register the flurry of cloaks at her side. Her hilt slammed into a temple. She spun, her eyes catching on the fleeing vendor.

"After him!" Tigris commanded, sparing a glance over her shoulder. Roche was staring at the fallen inkbloods in horror, her face blanched of colour. "Roche! C'mon!" Roche flinched, staggering after Tigris. Tigris couldn't spare her another thought. She was running, following the tide of dark cloaks fleeing into the busy market.

The crowd was thick, hard to maneuver in. Tigris leapt upon a stall, muscles flexing and burning as she clambered to the top. It was hard to keep her balance as she leapt from stall to stall, tearing through produce and vegetables, but it was the fastest way to keep moving. In almost no time, she was keeping pace with the fleeing vendor, who carried armfuls of the inkblood. The vials kept slipping out of his arms, shattering against the cobblestone. The crowd shrieked as he neared. Tigris leapt off the stall, tackling the man.

The vials shattered around them in a deafening crash. Tigris scrambled to grab hold of the man's arms, her vision overtaken by the thick fabric of his cloak.

"A-Aukret!" he hissed. Tigris felt a force push against her chest, like a punch, throwing her to the ground. She expected the vendor to flee, but the effort of using his inkblood seemed to have worn him out. He sluggishly climbed to his feet, but Tigris had already reached for her belt and thrown a dagger.

It embedded itself into his knee with a wet squelch. The vendor cried out and crashed to the ground. Tigris' chest heaved as she scrambled to her feet. She grabbed her sword, pinning the thrashing man with a foot on his chest. She pointed the sword to his throat.

She should kill him.

She knew that. He was distributing vile inkblood around the kingdom, inkblood that had been used to make an attempt on her brother's life. Her father would have run him through. Tigris levelled her blade.

"Wait!" Aodh barked suddenly, appearing at Tigris' side. He smelled of wood and blood. His pale fingers were stained a ghoulish red. "We need information."

"I-I'll tell you whatever you want! Just spare me!" The man reeked of desperation. His throat bobbed as Tigris used the tip of her blade to tug down his hood. He was simple enough. He had ghostly pale skin drawn tight over his thin cheekbones. His hazel eyes were wide with terror, his rose petal lips trembling.

Tigris frowned. "What do you know about the plague heading for the city?" she demanded, pressing the point of her sword against his gut. He gasped in terror, a wet stain spreading across his crotch. Tigris heard Aodh snickering.

"I-I don't know anything about that!" the vendor wailed, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks as they focused on the tip of Tigris' sword. She lifted it slowly, dragging it across his chest until it was right over his heart. His breath shuddered, a terrified whimper rattling out of his lips. Tigris had to fight to keep the cruel mask over her face.