TW: Fighting, descriptions of injury

Her first instinct was to laugh. The thought of Roche wielding ink was absurd. Tigris' lips curled with a struggle. If she didn't have thick chunks of wood embedded in her skin and blood leaking out of various, broken limbs, she would have burst out into laughter.

But Finn didn't retract the statement.

And Roche was pale, trembling like a leaf like Tigris would actually believe him.

Tigris' mirth drained away.

"You're joking," she said flatly, glancing between her brother and maid, "You can't be serious."

Finn lowered his hands, triumph and glee playing across his features. Roche straightened, hoisting her sword.

"Go on, Roche. Show her," Finn mocked.

Roche's jaw clenched in apparent disgust. "You sound ridiculous, Finn," the maid growled with uncharacteristic malice.

"Yeah," Tigris chimed in, trying to move. She bit back a scream as bolts of agony forked up her back. She swallowed the cry and added, "Roche can barely walk straight. Do you really think she has inkblood?"

Finn laughed, long and low. Roche was slowly creeping closer to him, Tigris' sword clutched tightly between her hands. Tigris knew she had to keep Finn distracted. She entertained the insane brother's notion for her sake.

"Oh, how well she's deceived you," Finn crooned, and the sound sent shivers up Tigris' spine. He lifted a hand, gelatinous inkblood pooling in his palm. "Let me show you just how deeply she's managed to fool you."

Roche's eyes widened. She lunged forward, bringing her sword down on Finn's back. The move was clumsy and frantic, something Tigris immediately wanted to correct. Finn anticipated the move, easily sidestepping Roche's charge. He tripped her easily, and the impact made Tigris' sword jolt from her hand.

The blade clattered against the ground with a deafening crash. Roche spluttered, struggling and gasping for air. She tried to buck, to throw off Finn's weight, but he held fast, pinning her to the ground with a knee.

His lips stretched slowly, a rubbery, malicious smile lighting his face up with maniacal glee.

Tigris couldn't move. She couldn't do anything but watch as Finn held his hand in front of Roche face, his pale skin coated in ink. Roche struggled and gasped, her pupils reducing to pinpricks as Finn held the damning inkblood a hairsbreadth from her forehead. The dark liquid dripped down his palm, clinging to his fingertip as a single drop. With a single twitch, it would touch Roche's golden skin.

"Roche!" Tigris screamed, desperation scraping the cavity of her chest. She tried to move, tried to get to her feet, and the world turned dark for a moment. She gasped in pain, but nothing was as agonising as the realisation that she was going to watch the woman who had loyally stood by her side for five years die and be able to do nothing about it.

Strangely, her cry seemed to steady Roche. The maid stilled, her panic fading away. Tigris watched, shocked, as Roche lifted her chin, staring Finn down unflinchingly as he brought the inkblood closer to her face.

"Go on then, Finn," Roche parroted his earlier words, her lips lilting, "I'm not afraid to die. I am loyal to my queen to the death."

Finn's teeth flashed. He leaned closer, his broad chest almost touching Roche's. His free hand cupped her face, tracing the line of her jaw. Roche shuddered under his touch. Tigris watched his lips move above her face, curving with chilling words.

"I know," he breathed, his words making the very air go still, "You'll do anything for her."

Finn straightened suddenly, twisting so quickly that his glasses bounced on the bridge of his nose. His hand whipped forward, and Tigris shouted as Roche's face screwed up, preparing for impact.

But the inkblood didn't drip onto Roche's bronze skin.

It jetted out of Finn's palms, forming an arrow that hurtled for Tigris' head.

Several things happened in that moment. Tigris' blood went still in her chest, the world darkening and slowing around her. She saw Finn's eyes gleam with sick, hungry anticipation, eagerly leaning forward to watch the inkblood arrow of death crash into his immobilised sister.

Tigris registered Roche's strangled cry slicing through the air, a horrified sound.

She met the maid's eyes, her heart slowing and skipping a beat at the sheer rage and terror in the woman's eyes, so potent that Tigris' breath caught in her throat. Several emotions and thoughts openly flickered across Roche's wide, innocent features as the arrow hurtled closer.

Tigris' mind settled in the way that signalled an end. She realised, belatedly, that she was glad Roche was with her at that moment.

She realised that there was so much more she wished she'd told her maid.

Her lips curved with words, words that she'd never told Roche before.

Roche's breath stuttered, like she sensed the thought. Resolve set her features, the end of some kind of internal debate.

Roche's cry split the air, but it wasn't a sound of fear or outrage or devastation as Tigris imagined.

The word Roche screamed was laden was power that ripped at the very seams of the earth, undoing the stillness that had descended over the throne room.

"Hwonite!"

Time sped up again. A giant invisible hand wrapped around Tigris' body, yanking her to the side so quickly that her breath rushed out of her. The movement irritated every injury of her body, sending bolts of splintering, breathtaking pain through her. She crashed into the wall with a bone crushing impact. Finn's inkblood arrow crashed into the dais, setting fire to the exploded remains.

Pieces of wood showered the air, flickering with embers that sizzled as they hit the ground.

Finn laughed victoriously, lit by the flames like a demon born anew.

"There she is," he announced cruelly.

Tigris couldn't breathe. She couldn't move. She could only stare as Roche panted, a single hand extended towards her. Slowly, too slowly, the maid lifted her head.

Her lips were set into a grim line, her eyes shining with damning confirmation.

"Tigris," Roche's voice was husky and shaky.

Tigris sucked in as much as air as she could manage. "You... you..." she couldn't get the words out.

Finn's crazed laughter filled the air, a broken and jagged sound.

"She's betrayed you, sister."

It would have been less painful if he'd killed her. Tigris sagged back, her eyes wide. Shock seeped into every cell of her body, draining away every hint of fight she had left. She could only choke out three words, three words that she never thought she'd have to say to Roche.

"I trusted you."

Roche's face twisted. Tigris closed her eyes, her breath shuddering at the sight like she'd been punched in the gut. She couldn't stand her maid's pained expression. A part of her screamed that this was Roche, that the innocent woman was looking more vulnerable and hurt than Tigris had ever seen.

The stunned, defeated part of her mind realised that she'd never known the woman at all.

Roche had inkblood.

Roche had betrayed her.

Finn abruptly seized Roche by the collar, yanking her upright. Tigris didn't move, barely stirred as Roche limply allowed Finn to shake her slightly, his eyes lit with a cruel, unyielding light.

"Now you know," he hissed, "Now you know how it felt when you told her what ran through my veins. And now you'll know what it's like to watch her die while you can do nothing."

Tigris felt like she was watching the scene from outside her body as Roche's features hardened, steely resolve tightening her eyes.

"That's not true," Roche said, too calmly.

Finn arched a brow. "Is that so?"

Roche smiled, nothing warm in the expression. A shiver went up Tigris' spine. This wasn't the Roche she knew. This wasn't her maid.

"You seem to have forgotten," Roche crooned, her voice so icy and dangerous that Tigris couldn't believe it came from Roche's lips, "That I was fighting you just fine without even needing to reveal myself. That was me going easy on you."

Roche snarled something, a low, guttural word, her hand wrenching into a claw. Finn shouted in alarm but couldn't move away fast enough as the air exploded. He flew through the air, flipping and spinning. He roared, twisting midair to land on his feet. The impact rocketed up his ankles, and he bellowed.

Roche had used the moment to run faster than Tigris had ever seen her move, shoving herself in between her queen's prone body and Finn. Roche lifted her arms defensively, a dangerous, determined gleam in her eyes. Before Finn could even get a word out, Roche stomped the ground. With the impact, the earth began to shake and tremble. The walls cracked and crumbled, showering the room in dust. Tigris gasped, trying to shield her head, but a glowing dome appeared over her.

"Undstrofi!" Finn yelped. The shaking slowed, but didn't stop.

Roche grabbed Tigris sword, turning it over in her hands. Somehow, she remained steady amongst all the shaking.

"Uskoia haktivo," Roche chanted, the words thin and serpentine, flicking her fingers towards a staggering Finn like she was throwing salt at him. Tigris watched in horror as the shadows around him came alive.

Finn shrieked, a sound of terror and irritation, stumbling back. The shadows lifted like snakes preparing to strike. The swirled around Finn's legs, easily keeping pace with him as he retreated, his back hitting the wall. The strange, ropy shadows looped around his legs, knotting like physical restraints.

Finn cried out like their touch burned, writhing and struggling futilely. Roche approached him slowly, still holding Tigris' blade. Each step was slow and savoured, contrasting Finn's frantic movements. The sharp length of metal began to glow as the maid ran her finger down it, a single drop of her blood lingering on the edge.

"Xeosure! Ocwelan!" Finn was shouting. Tigris watched with a mix of morbid fascination and horror as Roche batted away his enchantments without a word and without a visual marker of her efforts.

She was powerful.

The world blurred around Tigris.

Finn's breath seemed to catch as he came to the same realisation, his eyes rounding. "The Ala taught you well," he sneered, "Did she teach you how to kill too, or do you just have a natural gift for that?"

Roche came to a stop before Finn, watching him struggle without rising to his bait. She wordlessly hoisted the glowing sword as the shadows stretched, creeping up to bind his chest and arms. Finn's green eyes went wide. Tigris could see the glowing sword reflected in his eyes.

He looked so young.

Tigris' chest ached for the boy he'd been. The boy that was about to die.

"I let you live once," Roche whispered, "I can't do it again. I'm sorry, Finn."

There was nothing warm in Roche's eyes, just pure resignation as she hoisted her sword.

Finn screamed, an awful guttural sound. "Halkawen Tigris! Hikerg, hikerg!"

The shadows rippled. Roche cursed and leapt back immediately as Finn's damned shadow creatures, the uska, materialised from the shadows. They didn't even glance at Roche. They made a beeline for Tigris.

Tigris stretched her fingers out desperately, trying to find a blade, something to use to defend herself from the creatures. But her sword was in Roche's hands, and she didn't have the strength to grab her dagger.

Roche uselessly swiped at the nearest shadowy creature, snarling when the blade bounced off harmlessly.

"Stamat!" Roche roared, her voice fraying with power and command. No inkblood seemed to shoot from her fingertips. But for an instant, the inkblood creatures went still.

Finn's jaw dropped. He glanced at Roche with wide eyes.

"How..."

Roche didn't waver. She used the moment to leap to Tigris' side, eyes blazing.

"Stamat! Mord!" she ordered again. The creatures reared back for an instant, tempted by the order. Tigris was beginning to hope that they might survive this. But then the creatures hissed and spat, overcoming the command.

Roche's eyes rounded with genuine panic that sent ice flooding through Tigris' veins.

"Get Finn!" she croaked, and Roche spun to her. Tigris swallowed thickly, "They're tied to him, they-"

Roche's eyes widened with understanding. She threw her hand out.

"Ocwelan!"

Several of the shadow creatures moved in front of their master, shielding him from the inkblood arrow of death without disappearing. Frustration flared in Roche's eyes, and a shield sprung up around Tigris, shielding her from a shadow leopard that made a beeline for her.

Sweat lined Roche's face.

She was tiring, Tigris realised. Dread laced her gut.

"Aukret!" Roche snarled, throwing her hands out. Even without a visual reminder, Tigris could feel the tidal wave of power that hurtled from Roche's hands. It crashed through the lines of shadow creatures, smacking into them and Finn. Finn cried out as he went flying. His head cracked against the wall and he slumped to the ground, unconscious. The shadow creatures disintegrated on impact.

Roche stood in front of Tigris like a guard dog, her chest heaving wildly. Blood trickled from her nose. She spun around, her eyes already running over Tigris' body.

"Are you alright?" the maid asked, her voice hoarse.

Tigris wasn't sure what to say. She wasn't even sure if she could talk. She was saved from having to reply when the doors flew open. Aodh burst into the room, Kai right behind him. They gaped at the destruction.

"What happened?" Aodh asked, his eyes darting to the unconscious Finn.

Tigris opened her mouth to reply, but Roche spoke over her. "Finn," she muttered darkly, "Tigris was injured. We need to get her to Leinos."

Kai gasped as he saw Tigris lying there like a limp doll. He rushed to her side.

"There's no time," Aodh told Roche gravely, "There's more of those creatures on the way. If she's stable enough to move, we need to get her out of the castle."

As if on cue, more of the uska poured through the doors. They swarmed Finn's body, roiling over him like a mass of snakes. The sight made Tigris sick. Kai kneeled next to her, supporting her head.

"We're going to get you out of here," he promised, eyes shining.

She had to warn him of Roche. "No," she croaked weakly, struggling to stay conscious. The single word sapped her strength in a rush, leaving her gasping for air. Roche was nodding curtly. "The forest. We'll go to the grove."

"We can't," Aodh replied quickly, his breath hitching as the shadow creatures began to chatter over their master's body, fury building like lightning in a storm. "The forest is where they're coming from."

Tigris faltered. "The knights..." she breathed.

Aodh's face turned pained. "They might have gotten through," he said weakly, but the defeated look in his eyes killed any hope within Tigris.

Roche pinched the bridge of her nose.

"We need to get Tigris out of here," she muttered, "What about the beach? Is the beach clear?"

Aodh hesitated, moving to Tigris' side. She could barely focus on the conversation, the world going hazy. She tried to focus, to rally her strength. She had to tell them... had to warn them...

"The beach is clear, but we'd be trapped at the water's edge. Finn locked down all the boats," he said.

Roche's jaw set. "I have some friends that can help. Get Tigris."

Aodh didn't question it. Tigris nearly laughed. Roche had fooled them all so deeply. Even Aodh trusted her.

Her brother hurried to her side, gently slipping his arms under her shoulders. Tigris twisted, gasping as pain forked through her shoulder. She forced herself to grip Aodh's arm.

"Don't," she rasped in warning, mustering up the strength to tell him.

Aodh's brows furrowed. "Don't what?"

Roche cleared her throat. "She's right. What about the others in the castle?"

Kai straightened, gently adjusting his grip on Tigris' legs. "They're going to escape. Right after they create the diversion we need."

A tremor rumbled through the ground. The shadow creatures paused, confusion blooming in their ranks. Half of them skirted out the door to investigate. The other half bared their teeth, standing guard around Finn's limp body.

Roche's jaw dropped. "How-"

"That would be Leinos' sodium metal and the water basins from the kitchen," Kai explained, his eyes glowing.

The sound of shouts and wet coughs came from below.

"And that," Kai added, "Would be the mix of laundry and cleaning chemicals the laundresses just threw at the food poisoned Councillors, courtesy of the kitchen staff. The entire castle is going to be flooded with toxic fumes in a few minutes, and anyone in range will have trouble coming after us."

Roche gaped at him. "But-"

"The elderly and young and anyone else who might need more time have been evacuated to the forest. The able are making their way to the lower town at this moment," Kai explained, "Now we really must go."

Roche closed her mouth. "Hot damn, Kai." She paled as she glanced at Tigris, who decided to pretend she was unconscious until Roche left.

"Alright," Roche said, and Tigris' heart leapt in her chest, "I'm going to go ahead and open the tunnel. Get Tigris to the royal wing."

The moment Roche's footsteps had faded, she twisted, biting back a cry of pain. She clutched Aodh's forearm, the closest thing she could grasp. Aodh's eyes flew open with surprise as Tigris squeezed.

"Roche," she croaked, "Don't..." She swallowed. Each word made her vision blur. Kai squeezed her ankles as her mind spun.

"She'll be alright." Kai said reassuringly.

Tigris nearly screamed with frustration. "No!" she began to struggle, "You don't... understand... she-"

As if the words had summoned her, Roche appeared at the edge of her blurry vision. She nodded at the two men gravely.

"The tunnel is open and the way is clear, but we need to hurry," she murmured. Her eyes drifted to Tigris, awake and gripping Aodh's arm, and her eyes darkened.

Tigris' heart sank.

"You two have weapons on you, right?" Roche asked. When Kai and Aodh nodded, she sighed. "Aodh, take the rear. Make sure no one follows us. I'll carry her."

Aodh extricated himself from Tigris' grasp and Roche took his place by her head.

"Listen," Roche murmured sternly into the shell of Tigris' ear. Her breath warmed the chilled space between the nook of Tigris' neck and her chest, sending a shiver down Tigris' spine as she was shifted in Roche's arms, "You can do whatever you like with me once we're out of here. But stop being a brat, let me save you first."

Tigris was stunned, her body going limp with surprise. There were so many conflicting images in her mind.

Roche was an inkblood.

Roche was saving her.

Roche was holding her sword to Finn's chest without a hint of regret.

Roche was leaping back, standing over Tigris' prone body like she would die standing there.

Roche grunted, hoisting her body higher now, jarring Tigris out of her thoughts. The tunnel widened up ahead. She held up her hand, and Kai slowed to a stop as well.

"I think I heard something," Roche whispered, her voice harried. Tigris squinted, trying to focus on the woman's face. There was a hint of blankness to Roche's eyes, a soft falsetto at the end of her words.

She was lying.

Kai didn't seem to notice. His features tensed. "Really?"

Roche nodded gravely. "Could you go check on Aodh?" she asked, her voice as sweet and as timid as ever. Tigris made a sound of protest, but Kai set down her feet and nodded, hoisting a thin sword.

Tigris leaned her head back, unable to speak. Still, she mustered up her waning strength as Roche lowered her to the ground. The cool stone beneath her chilled her skin, drawing her away from the warmth of consciousness and towards oblivion.

"Why?" Tigris managed to whisper as Roche backed away from her, towards the exit, "Why are you..." Her strength flagged. The room began to spin.

Roche turned to look at her, silhouetted by the exit. Fire flickered and popped in her hands, like she was a human torch. The maid looked surprised at the question. Then she whispered,

"Because I must."

With that, Roche pressed her hands against the exit door.

"Ancinda! Ekklera mon Circe, Striga! Ekklera mon Moriean, kyfka! Ekklera mon xeo thermil kyfka, griffin!"

The words seeped into the earth, making the tunnel shake. It took Tigris' addled mind a moment to realise that the shaking wasn't from the inkblood, but from something approaching. Roche slammed her hands into the exit and the thick iron grate shifted.

The last thing Tigris saw was the giant silhouette of an ebony owl standing in front of the exit and Roche walking straight up to it, her brown eyes glowing bronze.

"I need your help," Roche pleaded, her exhausted voice chasing Tigris as she descended into darkness.

She'd be glad if she never woke up again.

A/N: Ohohoho, Tigris knows!!!!! You all are going to hate me for what comes next. It'll get better, I promise :D

How did you like the BAMF Roche in this chapter? 

As always, happy reading!