Forged Destiny [Book 9: Ch. 17]

Blake always could see the humorous side of things, and I liked her witty sarcasm more than Yang's stupid puns and practical jokes. "Ask away. I'm an open book to you."

"Maybe another time." She waved us to be still and walked up to a window, leaning against the wall beside it to look out at an angle without exposing herself. Tracking Salem, no doubt. I held Ruby back, who curiously tried to look as well. "The Grimm are sticking entirely to the roads," she said. "Something to be said for mindless aggression there; as long as they don't realise we're in the buildings, they won't bother."

"Grimm tend to take the easiest route," Ruby said. "Most animals do. People, too."

It was how paths in forests formed, as people naturally stuck to trails where branches and bushes had been pushed aside. There were animal trails as well as human ones, and trackers and hunters tended to use those to ensnare prey. Or so I'd heard from others in Ansel. I'd never been hunting before coming to Beacon, and Heroes cheated. Extreme Stats and Skills made chasing down a deer on foot trivial.

For the Grimm, it wasn't too different. Their only thought was to kill the people before them, and those people weren't in buildings. Given a straight line between them and their prey, what reason would they have to slow their progress by working through buildings, rooms and corridors? One or two might by accident or virtue of being pushed into the buildings because the throng of Grimm in the roads were too much, but those Grimm were always small and few in number, and thus quickly dealt with by a trained Assassin.

"We need to get a little further out. Salem will have her guard up when she gets close to the front lines. She has to know that's when we'll launch an attack."

"We're going with the ambush idea, then?" I asked.

"I think so. She's on the move so we may as well pick a good area and wait for her. Somewhere with space for Ruby to attack. That's why it's useless here – too many Grimm. She'd be skipping over their heads to reach Salem."

Ruby laughed nervously. "New definition for treacherous ground?"

"Hmm. We'll find open space ahead. The Grimm are all just charging forward, so once we get beyond them, it'll be clear. Wait here. I'll check the next building." With that, Blake swept ahead and through a door, peering once to make sure it was clear and then sneaking out. The lack of immediate howls and screams told us she was okay.

She returned within six minutes and hurried us out, pushing my head down and making us sprint the small distance between two buildings. Grimm rushed by on our left and right but thankfully didn't notice us, too focused on the defenders ahead bleeding out so much negativity that our own was dwarfed.

"Keep moving," she said, sprinting on and pushing through the house. "Wait here."

We waited. Ruby was shaking with excitement.

Blake returned. "Now. Move."

The pace continued for thirty or more buildings and well over two hours. The sounds of combat never quite faded behind us, but it became muted. One long droning din of steel and roars rather than individual sounds. We'd brought ourselves past the majority of it, and so far without being noticed. That was testament both to Blake's skills and the Grimm's complete lack of attention on anything not directly in front of them.

This time, Blake didn't stop Ruby and I looking out the window with her. There were Grimm running or flying by, but in much smaller numbers, packs of three or four.

—Forged Destiny [Book 9: Ch. 17]