The Decoder - Chapter 19

Edith

The day Edith had been looking forward to all week had arrived and dressed in a cream-coloured blouse tucked in her turquoise coloured ankle-length pleated skirt beneath her overcoat, she strolled the crowded City Square with Avery beside her. Caden and Merille were ahead of them, hand in hand. So, they are finally holding hands. Edith mentally noted at their progress. She was truly happy for them.

She scanned the crowded City Square, taking in all the bright lanterns hanging on thin lines across the entire square and the rows of stalls lining the street to her right. There were various stalls ranging from food stalls to accessories and books as well as rare goods that couldn’t be found in Rayard City, brought in by peddlers. The centre stage had been decorated elaborately with wild winter flowers and Edith could see a group of people setting up their telescopes, a group of scholars who were interested in the study of astronomy. Edith did not have a fondness for astronomy, but she enjoyed the little bits of information on the various ancient stars.

Edith glanced at her partner who did not utter a single word since they stepped into the City Square. His expression was solemn, and she could see worry lines etched into his brow. Just three days ago, Avery had received word that his fiancée, Miss Ira, was missing from her assignment. That explained why he hadn’t received a word from her at all. He had been restless, dark circles formed under his eyes and Edith herself was worried. He had offered to join the search party, but the High Commander had ordered him to stay put in the Militia for reasons entirely unknown.

She didn’t like seeing this version of Avery. It made her sad and she was beginning to worry for his health. She understood his worry for Miss Ira, but she did not wish for him to compromise his health. If only Edith could do anything to help the search for his fiancée, she would gladly do it.

“Avery?” Edith said.

He looked at her with questions in his tired eyes.

“Would you like some warm drink? The weather tonight is freezing.” She wiggled her hands in her overcoat pocket. Avery hadn’t made any move to hold her hand as he usually did when they were walking side-by-side. Not tonight. And it made her longed for his touch.

It took a moment for Avery to respond with a “yes, please.”

“Alright. Please wait at the bench there while I grab a warm drink.” Edith gestured at a vacant bench to her right. Avery nodded and proceeded to the bench. Edith watched his retreating back. She had advised him to rest instead of coming to the festival, but he had insisted to join her. While she enjoyed being by his side, she felt hurt. A hurt that had nothing to do with his fiancée. He clearly cared for her. Of course, he will care for his fiancée. It’s normal to care for someone they love, you silly ninny. Edith shook her head and turned to browse the stalls in search for warm drinks, weaving through the crowd. Caden and Merille were not in sight and Edith decided not to look for them, allowing them some privacy.

As she moved along the crowd, Edith spotted a cloaked figure few paces ahead of her. The posture of the figure and that midnight blue cloak was familiar, and it took her less than a minute when realisation dawned upon her. She will never forget the owner behind that midnight blue cloak, the person who betrayed her and the Hathagian refugees. She pushed past the crowd to get to her as her lithe form was retreating further away from Edith.

Edith was not allowing Lady Ada to escape this time. She will make sure she pay for her treachery. Warm drink forgotten and anger surged as she struggled to push past the crowd. For some unknown reason, the crowd at this part of the City Square was denser compared to where she and Avery were. Desperation overwhelmed her and when she finally managed to reach the end of the crowd, Lady Ada was nowhere to be found. Edith frantically glanced around and stepped further away from the crowd, desperate for a glimpse of the midnight blue cloak again. She walked down the street, increasing her steps as the noise of the crowd faded into nothing more than a blur. The street ahead of her was empty. “No way…” Edith murmured. Frustration replaced her desperation and she swore inwardly when a rough voice sounded behind her.

“Fancy seeing you here.”

Startled, Edith turned and before she could see the owner of that voice, a swipe of a hand to the side of her neck came in a flash, and the scene blurred before her for a moment before darkness consumed her.

* * *

Edith woke with a start, her eyes flew opened and was greeted with a bright light, which made her head swirled with dizziness and she shut her eyes for a moment before opening them again. She groaned as her eyes adjusted to the light and made to sit up from the cold wooden floorboards when she realised her hands and foot were tightly bounded with a thick rope. Alarm shot through her. She tried to recall back her memories and remembered she was following Lady Ada, then…a hand…a blow to the side of her neck. At the memory, right side of her neck throbbed with a dull ache.

“You’re awake.” A feminine voice startled her, and she looked to her left, then to her right. Her eyes widened at the sight of Miss Ira before her, hands and foot bounded as well. Her fitting dark uniform was rumpled and there was a darkening bruise at her right temple. Her blonde hair was a tangled mess and there were bits of dried blood in it. Despite the rumpled appearance, her beauty stood out in the small room they were currently in.

“Miss Ira. You’re here.” Edith said lamely and she mentally slapped herself for that reply. Avery had been worried sick for her, and Edith had been the one to discover her whereabouts, by coincidence. The thought about Avery brought about her sense of time and location.

“Where are we and what time is it?” Edith asked.

“We are in a cabin located deep in Yvyle Forest and I believe it’s early morning now.” Ira replied, her voice was hoarse, as if she had been depraved of food and water.

Early morning?!

Edith realised she had been unconscious for hours. When she was at the City Square with Avery, it had been only past nine. By now, she was certain Avery will be aware of her disappearance. As if his fiancée’s disappearance hadn’t been enough to rankle him, now her disappearance was added to the list. Edith was pretty sure he was cursing with profanities now, and she winced. And she was certain Caden and Merille were aware of her disappearance, too.

Edith shook her head vigorously and another bout of dizziness surged through her. She swayed her body to the left momentarily while waiting for the dizziness to pass. There was no point in worrying about their opinions and worries. Now, she would need to focus her attention on getting herself and Ira out of here. Their captors were nowhere to be seen. She took in her surroundings as she plotted their escape. They were placed at the corner of the windowless confined room, a wooden table with three wooden chairs were situated at the centre of the room. There were two rows of cabinet at the other corner of the room and a door to the far corner to their right. Edith eyed the door for a moment, listening for footfalls, but there was none.

“How did you ended up here, Miss Ira?” Edith asked, focusing her attention on the beauty.

“I was on an assignment, but I was caught.” Ira replied simply, careful to not reveal information deemed sensitive. Edith knew as a spy, one would be wary of whoever they speak to. Information was vital.

“How long have you been here?”

“A week ago.”

“And how did you came to be here, Edith?” Ira asked before Edith could form a reply, eyeing her with caution. So, Ira recognised her despite their one very brief encounter few weeks ago.

There was no way she could reveal about Lady Ada or that her snooping around had ended in her being here. She wondered if Ira knew about Lady Ada’s identity, Agent A. But she decided to leave that question out.

“I was snooping into unwanted territory.”

“How does a nurse ended snooping in unwanted territory?” Ira asked. Edith only stared at her. She was fishing for information, as what is expected of spies. There was no point in raising suspicions now, not when their lives were in jeopardy.

“You’re not an innocent nurse.” Ira said at her silence.

“And, you’re Avery’s childhood friend.”

Edith blinked. How did she know? Of course, Avery must’ve mentioned it to her.

“Yes.”

There was a long stretch of silence before Ira broke the silence again.

“What was he like when he was a child?”

Edith blinked once more, surprised by her question. Are they really going to be conversing about Avery instead of finding a way out from the cabin?

“I know I shouldn’t be questioning you about Avery at this moment, but I just couldn’t help my curiosity and envy.” Ira said as if she had heard Edith’s thoughts.

“He—"

Edith stilled at the sound of footsteps outside of their room. Ira must have heard them, too, when she locked her gaze at the door. The door opened, its hinges screaming with rust. Edith swallowed, bracing herself to face her captors.

A tall man clad in dark clothes entered, his greatcoat swishing around his booted ankles as he approached the wooden table. A woman entered shortly after and she closed the door behind them. She turned and Edith felt her breath left her. She stared at the tall woman who now stood next to the tall man, though the tip of her head only ended at the man’s shoulders. The lady’s height was considered unconventional compared to the average height of the women in Rayard. Of course, since childhood, the woman had always been a few inches taller than Edith herself. Her long jet-black hair was pulled into a ponytail, secured by a crimson satin ribbon and she was equally clad in black as the tall man. She was not beautiful, but neither was she unattractive. There was a certain beauty about her and the way she carried herself.

Edith opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came forth. How many years has it been since she last saw her? Thirteen years?

“It has been a while, Edith.” The woman who went by the name of Sera LeMay broke the silence. Her sky-blue eyes piercing into Edith’s as she tugged off her leather gloves and placed them on the table.

“You know this woman?” Ira asked next to Edith, surprised. Edith took several deep breaths before answering.

“Yes, she’s my childhood friend.” The very first.

Ira gasped, but said nothing more.

“I didn’t expect we will be meeting again…in this manner.” Sera said quietly, her calm voice devoid of emotion. She stepped forward and stood before Edith, her hands clenched into a fist at her sides. The tall man made no movements except crossing his arms at his chest. His broad stature exuded strength and masculinity. Edith could guess if one were to lay a fist on him, he wouldn’t even budge a single inch.

“What do you want, Sera?” Edith asked. Memories of their childhood came slamming back into her mind. The days before Avery stepped into her life. She had been lost in Falborg Forest, crying for her parents. Edith had found her and brought her to Alcoft home. Sir Alcoft had helped in the search for her parents, but they were nowhere to be found. While her father had been searching for Sera’s parents, Edith had looked after Sera and forged a friendship. For two years, their bond was unbreakable. Then…

“Please don’t go, Sera…”

“I will not allow you and your father to send me over to the orphanage. Never!”

“No, we are not sending—"

“Don’t lie! You are nothing but a liar. I have been a fool to trust you and your father, believing and hoping that I could be a part of the Alcofts.”

“Not even a warm greeting. Straight to business, I see.” Sera’s words broke her reveries. She crouched before Edith, her black pleated skirts fluffed all around her.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Edith asked, never breaking her gaze from Sera. The years hadn’t been kind to Sera, Edith could see that from the crinkles at the corner of her eyes. There was a small scar at the corner of her left lip, a scar that hadn’t been there when Edith first met her all those years ago.

“The necklace that your father left you. There’s a note in the pendant. I want to know what it contains.” Sera said, dropping her gaze to Edith’s neck where the said necklace lay.

“How did you know…?” Edith raised her brows. She’d believed that no one, no one except Avery knew about the note. Fear lanced through her insides, making her uncomfortable. No. Not just Avery. I had told…Mr. Roan as well.

“Let’s just say I have my sources.” Sera said nonchalantly.

“I don’t understand this whole situation that is taking place.” Edith blurted.

“Of course, you wouldn’t. You have been shielded by your father all this while, away from the knowledge of…” Sera stopped and turned to look at the tall man.

“Nate, please bring her in.”

Nate nodded and left the room.

“Her?” Edith questioned.

“Stop going around the bush.” Ira suddenly spoke icily, glaring at Sera.

“Silence. I won’t tolerate a spy who has been snooping around Hathage palace. You are lucky you are still alive even now, unlike your partner.” Sera spat, glaring daggers at Ira. Edith shivered at that information. She couldn’t help but wondered what Sera had gotten herself into this past thirteen years.

Suddenly, the door threw opened and Nate ushered a reluctant lady into the room. The lady was none other than Lady Ada and her hands were bounded as well. Edith winced at the sight of her.

“Ah, the traitor.” Sera said, coming to her feet. The traitor? Edith wondered, still trying to piece the puzzle of whatever that was happening.

“You see, Edith. We were tracking for this traitor last night. But, my ever-efficient assistant stumbled upon you as well. You have been on our radar for a short while now. Why, fate brought not one, but two of the people who are on our ‘wanted list’.” Sera paced back and forth of the room.

“She betrayed our trust. Revealed information about the Hathagian refugees to High Commander Ekker when she was supposed to be rescuing them. Instead, they were all dead now, save one. When His Majesty, Lord Noel questioned the High Commander, we received a reply that said they simply lost their way along Falborg Forest.” Sera continued and approached Lady Ada. She hiked up her skirt and unsheathed the dagger strapped to her hip.

“We are not dumb to believe that reasoning. You murdered them, you heartless bitch,” Sera placed the tip of the blade at Lady Ada’s throat. Edith winced once more. But she would not feel remorse for the traitor before her. She deserved what she did.

“You and that pretty bitch there have been corresponding secretly behind our backs, weren’t you?” Sera said, anger lacing her tone now.

“Yes…” Lady Ada replied meekly.

Ira clicked her tongue and gritted her teeth.

“And now, Edith. Your presence here will come in handy to us. I’m aware of your codebreaking skills that your father had passed down to you. Besides the note that your father had penned, we need you to decode the message that was exchanged between this bitch and that pretty bitch. We are not well-versed with Rayard’s coding system.” Sera turned away from Lady Ada and took a sit on one of the wooden chairs.

As if on cue, Nate pulled out a small sheet of paper, folded into two, from his greatcoat.

“No, don’t do it, Edith,” Ira turned to her, panic and fear etched on her pretty face now.

“Nate. Cut her ropes,” Sera ordered. Nate did as he was told. Approaching Edith and hauled her to her feet. Her numb legs nearly gave way and she nearly fall face first onto the wooden floorboards, but Nate steadied her with one large gloved hand on her left shoulder while he worked to cut the ropes on her hands and legs with his dagger. Edith contemplated fighting, but she knew it was futile to go against the tall man before her. His size and strength will upend her in seconds.

“Edith, please don’t do this,” Ira pleaded at the corner.

“Silence!” Sera boomed.

“No!” Ira shouted and Nate immediately placed a rag into Ira’s mouth, silencing her. Ira struggled and was now seething with anger. With a large hand clamped to her left arm, Nate guided her to the wooden table and forced her down onto the wooden chair opposite of Sera. She pushed the piece of paper towards Edith with her index finger and middle finger.

“Begin now,” Sera tilted her head and eyed her. Her expression was one that reminded her of an ice empress. At the corner, Ira’s shouts were muffled, and Sera ignored them.

Edith swallowed hard. For Ira to react so strongly to the coded message, it would mean it contained something important and probably…devastating, which could trigger a war. With shaky fingers, Edith unfolded the paper and scanned the coded message, recognising the familiar sets of binary numbers and symbols. It will take her about fifteen minutes to decode them. Ira’s muffled shouts grew louder.

“What if I refuse to decode the message?” Edith looked up from the message and narrowed her eyes at Sera.

“Then the pretty bitch there will suffer the consequences.” Sera gestured at Ira whose eyes had gone wide and the blood had drained from her face.

“What will you do to her?” Edith asked, carefully treading on dangerous waters.

“Break her bones, maybe?” Sera leaned back against the back of her chair. Edith flinched at her answer. There was no way Sera will consort to that. No, this was not the Sera from thirteen years ago. She had grown from a sweet and shy girl to a street-hardened woman.

“Surely you jest,” Edith frowned.

“Nate.” Sera jerked her head at Ira’s direction and Nate, the ever faithful and quiet man positioned himself behind Ira. He cut her ropes with one expert swift and pulled Ira’s left arm backwards with such force that Ira’s screams muffled through the rag in her mouth. Before Edith could say anything, Nate hooked his right arm over Ira’s left arm and a gut-wrenching scream left Ira’s mouth. The rag fell from her mouth and her eyes watered and tears streamed down her cheeks. Her face contorted with so much pain Edith could only imagine. Breaking a bone was agony.

“Stop it!” Edith cried, shoving back the chair. Her weakened legs gave way once more and she placed her bandaged palm on the table to steady herself. Nate let go of Ira’s broken arm and it fell lamely to her side. Ira groaned and whimpered as her body fell to the side.

“You have thirty minutes to decode that message. I’m confident with your skills, you’ll be able to decipher it within the time frame,” Sera said patiently and crossed her arms, unaffected by the inhumane scene before her. Edith glared at her. Anger surged through her like flames engulfing its victim.

“What on earth has become of you?” Edith said through gritted teeth. Her hands were itching to plant a fist in her childhood friend’s heart-shaped face.

“I will not answer your questions. The clock starts ticking now. If you do not decode that message within thirty minutes, I will not hesitate to kill the pretty bitch and that traitor.”

Edith slammed her bandaged fist onto the wooden table, trying her hardest to control her anger. A sharp pain coursed through her palm and she was certain the wound had reopened again. At this rate, she was certain her wound will never heal. She couldn’t sacrifice Ira’s life, not Avery’s fiancée. She couldn’t face the blame that will be directed at her for Ira’s death, couldn’t face Avery’s scorn and hatred. It will no doubt break her into pieces. No, Ira is very much a human being, like every other human being.

Her father’s words surfaced to her mind at that moment. “We must save every soul when we are able. Kindness is the one gift we could show upon others and in doing so, we could make the world a better place.”

Edith forced herself to sit and picked up the piece of paper and the pencil that was placed on the table earlier. She began to scribble some words as she deciphered the message. Sera is not well-versed with Rayard’s coding system, so I could lie my way through by creating a convincing message, Edith thought to herself, her mind working like cogwheels, scrutinising the message, pretending as if she was truly deciphering the message.

After fifteen minutes had passed in silence, Edith stopped scribbling and handed the paper to Sera. She had written the words at the bottom of the codes since there was no where else to note down the meanings behind those codes. Sera took the paper and scanned the message.

“That’s all?” Sera asked with a raised brow, skeptical.

“You asked that I decode the message and I did,” Edith shot her a glare.

“So, it was just an innocent exchange afterall. Reporting each other’s status,” Sera rose to her feet, her gaze never leaving Edith’s.

“Why do I feel this is a…lie?”

Edith forced her expression to remain impassive. It was a trap and she refused to fall into it. Instead, she tried to shift the topic.

“What happened to you, Sera? You left Alcoft home thirteen years ago.”

Sera stiffened and she grimaced.

“Do not bring up the past again,” she said bitterly.

“I’m curious and I wish to know. Is it wrong for me to know your well-being?”

“Know my well-being? Don’t joke with me. Have you forgotten your father’s words?” Sera scoffed.

“No,” Edith said simply. How could she forget the afternoon Sera had overheard their conversation in the music room.

“We must send her back to the orphanage.” Sir Alcoft had said.

“I will never allow that to happen if you have given me the chance to.”

Sera remained silent and moved to the door. She clenched and unclenched her palms, a sign Sera was nervous.

“Are you working for Hathage’s royals?” Edith asked. Though she suspected that was likely the case from her earlier explanations, but for confirmation sake, she asked anyway.

“And what if I am?”

“I’m just asking.” Edith shrugged her shoulders.

“We have company,” Nate said suddenly and moved to the door. Without another word, Sera nodded and moved to follow him.

“Sera,” Edith called. Sera halted and glanced over her shoulder.

“It’s good to know you are alive.”

Sera said nothing and stood at the doorway for a few seconds before she exited the room, closing the door behind her and turned the lock.

Indeed, it was good to see Sera once more, her very first friend. She had never forgotten Sera, but she had pushed memories of Sera to the far recesses of her mind. Because, it hurt to remember the memories of the night Sera had ran from the Alcoft home...And her final accusation to Edith.

“You are nothing but a liar. I regret this friendship of ours.”

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