The two knights eventually made it back to the camp. Penelope followed Gavin a bit blindly as he slipped past the guards and guided her to her tent. He left her there alone for a moment before heading off to go grab her some bandages for her hand. As she sat alone, she thought about what she would tell Mia. If the thief's group was as big as Crow claimed, then they would need a sizeable group to in and attack. She shifted a bit as she sat on the edge of her bed. There wouldn't be a way to tell Mia without admitting to sneak around the baroness' back a bit.
She doesn't have to know I was meeting with Crow though... I told Layth I was working with peasants so perhaps I can just convinced them that way. She thought with a hint of hope. If she built off her old lie to Layth, it might be enough to convince the barons that this was a solid lead.
Gavin soon returned with bandages and carefully wrapped up her hand. She sat quietly as he finished and watched as the male knight prepared to head out to his own tent. "Gavin.." she spoke up hesitantly. As he looked back at her, she quickly lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you sooner...and thank you for all the help."
"You're welcome, Penelope." he mumbled softly. "Don't beat yourself up about it though. The only one to blame is him."
Penelope gave a sad shrug before lifting her gaze to look over at him. "Tomorrow morning.. Can you do me a favor and bring Olivia to my tent? I want to talk to you both about plans for dealing with Jaxon before I go to the barons."
"Of course."
"Thank you." Penelope sighed softly. "And Gavin... be careful. He might have left but there's no telling when the next assassin will come."
"I will." he promised with a small nod. "Goodnight, Penelope."
Having said their goodbyes, the male knight turned and stepped out of the tent, leaving Penelope alone. She let out a heavy exhale and laid back on her bed. Her mind was plagued with her memory of Crow's meeting with Jaxon and her eyes stung from all the tears she had shed. Still, the knight attempted to get some sleep. Eventually she managed to doze off in a less than comfortable slumber.
---
The next morning came too soon and Penelope was in no rush to get up. Her eyes were likely puffy from all the tears and her chest ached as everything from the night prior came rushing back. She let out a shaky breath, finding herself uncertain how to handle the day ahead of her. Though there was much to do, the knight didn't want to move and more than anything, she wanted to be alone so she could figure out her feelings. Unfortunately, there would be no time for that yet.
"Penelope, can we come in?" Gavin's voice caught her attention from outside.
The knight let out a quiet groan and ran her hand through her hair before sliding to sit at the edge of her bed. Straightening up her appearance a bit first, she called out, "Yeah come in."
"Alright so what's going on? This one's been bragging about how he was right and you wanted to speak with us." Olivia said as she barged in first.
"I wasn't bragging. I was just trying to give you a little information about what happened." Gavin grumbled defensively.
"I do want to talk to you.. Last night we found out where Jaxon is located and now it's just a matter of convincing the barons to send a patrol to hunt him down." Penelope told Olivia as her two friends sat down to listen. Olivia blinked, a bit surprised by her words and leaned in curiously.
"Really? How'd you pull that off?"
Penelope shifted uneasily at that and lowered her gaze. She debated about how much she should tell Olivia since she wasn't sure how the female knight would react. She had a flare for chaos and was directly involved with one of Crow's companions. However, she also needed to make sure Olivia kept her guard up around Alistair. The more she considered everything, the less reason she saw in keeping her in the dark.
"Crow was working for Jaxon like Gavin suspected.." Penelope finally admitted, grimacing as she said it outloud. "I found out last night when he met with him and then I confronted him about it.. He claims it was because the other thief was threatening him with taking my life but.." she paused and shook her head. "Anyways, I got him to tell me where Jaxon's camp is."
Olivia stared at her for a moment before leaning back on the palms of her hands and letting out small whistle. "Wow... First he stabs you in the shoulder and then he stabs you in the back huh?"
"Olivia." Gavin growled as he noticed Penelope flinch at her words.
"Sorry." Olivia mumbled with a shrug. She looked over at Penelope and hesitated. "Was.. Was Crow the only one involved with Jaxon?"
"He claims that he is and he doesn't want the other thieves to know he was working for him." Penelope responded, frowning with sympathy as she easily guessed why Olivia had even asked. "You should still be cautious around him though... At least until this matter is settled." She let out a sigh. "Now let's focus on planning."
She doesn't have to know I was meeting with Crow though... I told Layth I was working with peasants so perhaps I can just convinced them that way. She thought with a hint of hope. If she built off her old lie to Layth, it might be enough to convince the barons that this was a solid lead.
Gavin soon returned with bandages and carefully wrapped up her hand. She sat quietly as he finished and watched as the male knight prepared to head out to his own tent. "Gavin.." she spoke up hesitantly. As he looked back at her, she quickly lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you sooner...and thank you for all the help."
"You're welcome, Penelope." he mumbled softly. "Don't beat yourself up about it though. The only one to blame is him."
Penelope gave a sad shrug before lifting her gaze to look over at him. "Tomorrow morning.. Can you do me a favor and bring Olivia to my tent? I want to talk to you both about plans for dealing with Jaxon before I go to the barons."
"Of course."
"Thank you." Penelope sighed softly. "And Gavin... be careful. He might have left but there's no telling when the next assassin will come."
"I will." he promised with a small nod. "Goodnight, Penelope."
Having said their goodbyes, the male knight turned and stepped out of the tent, leaving Penelope alone. She let out a heavy exhale and laid back on her bed. Her mind was plagued with her memory of Crow's meeting with Jaxon and her eyes stung from all the tears she had shed. Still, the knight attempted to get some sleep. Eventually she managed to doze off in a less than comfortable slumber.
---
The next morning came too soon and Penelope was in no rush to get up. Her eyes were likely puffy from all the tears and her chest ached as everything from the night prior came rushing back. She let out a shaky breath, finding herself uncertain how to handle the day ahead of her. Though there was much to do, the knight didn't want to move and more than anything, she wanted to be alone so she could figure out her feelings. Unfortunately, there would be no time for that yet.
"Penelope, can we come in?" Gavin's voice caught her attention from outside.
The knight let out a quiet groan and ran her hand through her hair before sliding to sit at the edge of her bed. Straightening up her appearance a bit first, she called out, "Yeah come in."
"Alright so what's going on? This one's been bragging about how he was right and you wanted to speak with us." Olivia said as she barged in first.
"I wasn't bragging. I was just trying to give you a little information about what happened." Gavin grumbled defensively.
"I do want to talk to you.. Last night we found out where Jaxon is located and now it's just a matter of convincing the barons to send a patrol to hunt him down." Penelope told Olivia as her two friends sat down to listen. Olivia blinked, a bit surprised by her words and leaned in curiously.
"Really? How'd you pull that off?"
Penelope shifted uneasily at that and lowered her gaze. She debated about how much she should tell Olivia since she wasn't sure how the female knight would react. She had a flare for chaos and was directly involved with one of Crow's companions. However, she also needed to make sure Olivia kept her guard up around Alistair. The more she considered everything, the less reason she saw in keeping her in the dark.
"Crow was working for Jaxon like Gavin suspected.." Penelope finally admitted, grimacing as she said it outloud. "I found out last night when he met with him and then I confronted him about it.. He claims it was because the other thief was threatening him with taking my life but.." she paused and shook her head. "Anyways, I got him to tell me where Jaxon's camp is."
Olivia stared at her for a moment before leaning back on the palms of her hands and letting out small whistle. "Wow... First he stabs you in the shoulder and then he stabs you in the back huh?"
"Olivia." Gavin growled as he noticed Penelope flinch at her words.
"Sorry." Olivia mumbled with a shrug. She looked over at Penelope and hesitated. "Was.. Was Crow the only one involved with Jaxon?"
"He claims that he is and he doesn't want the other thieves to know he was working for him." Penelope responded, frowning with sympathy as she easily guessed why Olivia had even asked. "You should still be cautious around him though... At least until this matter is settled." She let out a sigh. "Now let's focus on planning."