Book 3 Chapter 18

Maria walked with her back stock straight as she nervously tried to appear nonchalant. Dressed in a servant’s uniform, she pulled down on the short skirt as she moved around the brewery. Just one more reason to regret agreeing to this… she thought to herself as she tried to think of what to do.

“You!” A voice called out from the side. Maria froze, trying not to show her panic as she turned towards the approaching foreman.

“What are you doing wandering around like a lost duckling? The Boss will be here soon and if those vats have even a single spot on them I’ll make you lick them clean!”

“Yes sir, of course, sir, on my way now…” Maria replied, her head nodding frantically as she grabbed some cleaning tools. She ran off as he turned to bark more order elsewhere, regretting her predicament from the thousandth time since Torvus gave her this stupid outfit.

She had been somewhat against the idea from the beginning… After learning about their next target, the next step had been to set up a plan to get to him. Tirr had been eager for a straight forward attack, especially after the success of the last one. Torvus though, had proposed his own idea… Stating that another assault like the one on Alloy would draw too much attention now.

Maria had felt a shiver run down her back as Tess brought out the skimpy looking uniform while looking at Maria with expectant eyes. The following explanation did little to assure her as Torvus explained that the best way to infiltrate the brewery would be with her entering as staff to help get close to the target while Torvus snuck in alone.

Tirr had objected as well, whether because the plan had left him as back up or because he was against Maria wearing such clothing, she didn’t know. But somehow Torvus had talked him into it as well, leaving Maria on her own. After reluctantly agreeing. the plan had been put into motion quickly.

A contact of Miss Tess helped sneak her into the building as a new worker before leaving her on her own, and now there she was trying not to get caught as she waited for their target’s arrival.

She continued onward, moving away from the still yelling foreman behind her as she moved through the large building, to one of the large vats. Just as she was wondering what she should do from there, a bustle of motion came to from the entryway. There, a stout man came stomping through with a figure in a white mask by his side. Several others followed behind them, their eyes looking over the surroundings carefully.

The Council member called Mead went from vat to vat as he inspected to current brews, giving out both praise and rebuke as he went through. As he approached, Maria pretended to busy herself with cleaning, hardly daring to look in his direction. As he finished his initial inspection, his eyes wandered over the servants, settling on a few of the younger-looking ones. He called the foreman over, whispering in his ear before heading out towards his office

As Maira pretended to work the foreman approached her casually, “You finish that up and go with these others to the Bosses office…”

“Umm, what are we going to be doing?” One of the other women picked asked innocently…

The foreman gave a lecherous grin, “Let's just say it’ll be a good opportunity… One you’d be a fool to turn down… Now get going, don’t make the boss wait…”

The words made Maira nauseous, but she followed obediently as she and three other girls all around Maria’s age followed another worker.

As they reached the office the worker knocked, speaking in hushed whispers to the white-masked guard who opened the door. The white-masked figure glanced at them before opening the door wide for them to enter.

As they walked in Mead sat behind his desk, an ale in hand as he looked over them with gleaming eyes. “Ladies…” He said as he stood, his eyes traveling over all of them. The other girls gave a mix of reactions, but all Maira could feel was disgust. Patience She told herself. Thinking back at everything she had been through in the last half a year this short discomfort was no trouble at all.

Mead stood and walked over to the girls and Maria tuned out his word as he started going on and on about future opportunities. Instead, she did her best to avoid looking at the guards arranged around the room, each hooded figure ready to step forward at a moment's notice. Would still be too late by though she thought as he stepped in front of her.

“And you girl… A beautiful girl like you would surely prefer not to be scrubbing the floors all her life right?” He pressed closer, leaning in towards her…

Finally, she could take no more… Her hand snapped up in an instant, grabbing the shorter man by the throat and lifting him from his feet in one motion. Blades flashed around her as Mead struggled and fought his fingers trying to pry himself free.

The incoming guards though found their blades blocked, by one of their own companions no less, Torvus lowered his hood smiling as he deflected another blow.

“I always said your womanizing would be the end of you Denis…” he laughed as the stout man's face started to go blue. He tried to scream but felt Maria’s hold strengthen

Finally, one of the guards forced their way past Torvus their blade stabbing viciously into Maria’s back. However, she didn’t even blink as she finally tightened her grip, and Mead’s neck snapped before his body fell to the ground in a heap…

Still ignoring the blade in her back she turned towards Torvus, “Can we leave now, I’m never doing this again…”