Jensen eyed the pews with mild dissatisfaction. The hooded figures outnumbered them no doubt. But he could feel himself itching for a fight. The sexual frustration lingered from the distraction spell on the statue. He looked into Alexis face before him. She looked around uneasy before glancing back to his face.
'I think you and I are magnets for trouble.' He smiled.
'You maybe, I'm a delicate flower.' She smiled back.
The mass of hooded figures descended around them, a few leapt from the balcony above, the rest descended the wooden stairs creating a thunderous noise echoing throughout the space.
Alex bent slightly, the back pack she carried slipped from her shoulder and fell at Jensen's feet. She pinched his leg and then nodded to the bag. He dripped his head and watched as she slowly extracted a dragger from under her Jean leg.
She straightened and handed him the item, he bent and kissed her ferociously as he drew back he whispered in her ear.
'You are a surprise.'
She pressed her face to his and breathed against his face,
'You can thank me if we make it out of here.'
They switched places, Alex bent to the bag and extracted an item. She threw something to Claude, who caught it on instinct and as a trio they whirled towards the men approaching.
One man stepped forward and threw back his hood. Alex gasped at the scarred face of the man before her, His face was badly disfigured on his right, it caught the light from the sainted glass window, his mismatched features bathed in an amber glow.
'I see the warnings of my brotherhood went unheeded Mage.'
He moved forward swiftly until he stood a few feet before them. Jensen and his companions immediately went on the defensive, all taking a stance ready for a fight.
He chuckled at the sight and clinked his fingers. 'We know you are procuring the stone for this man.'
A young boy stepped forward from amid the hoods, he looked no more than a boy. He looked to Alex his eyes going wide, she saw his pupils change and flicker to a gold. A gold she had seen before.
'A halfling' She whispered.
The boy looked frightened and turned to the speaker. He shook his head. 'Show them' His voice boomed across the church.
The boy wiped his hands on his trousers. Alex noticed he was impeccably dressed, he looked to her and his cheeks reddened. He spoke softly and held out his hand. With grace and ease he created an image. The image was Alastair. The man bent and whispered something in the boy's ear. He smiled in response. The man ruffled his hair.
'This man is Alistair Wentworth. Are you seeking the dark stone for him?' The man asked.
'Why should we tell you anything?' Claude enquired.
The man smiled, his face distorting further. He moved around the church, his hand gliding along the statue. 'The key was easily found, was it not?' In a fluent Gaelic, he turned to Alex.
Alex frowned and answered him in Gaelic. 'You knew we would come here?'
He inclined his head, 'You have been expected for a long time.'
Alex lowered her dragger and moved forward. Jensen arm shot out and he grabbed her roughly. She winced.
'Don't.' He held her gaze.
'You're hurting me.' Jensen removed his hand and observed the burn on her skin.
'Alex' He carefully raised her arm to his mouth.
Alex snatched it away quickly and cradled her arm to her chest, dragger in her other hand tightly. She could feel the skin burning. She looked at him horrified.
The hooded man spoke in Gaelic as they stared at each other.
'You could come with me now, my master wishes to speak with you, that is all Miss Martinez.'
'And my friends?' Alex answered fluently.
'My guards will watch them, that is all.'
'Swear it.' Alex pointed her dagger at the boy. 'On his life.'
The man's Eye's widened. 'On my honour, I Adam Forest do pledge.' He held out his hand to her.
*