“Thank the makers we’re out of that bloody car,” Thillan exclaimed, stretching his arms high into the air and yawning. “I couldn’t have been more couped up in it. How we managed to fit five bloody people and the driver is beyond me.”
“Keep complaining and we’ll put you in the trunk next time,” Asher snickered as he tossed a bag at him and closed the rear. The car quickly sped off and lost itself in the moving traffic. The girls chuckled and slung their bags over their shoulders.
“Remind me why we’re here again?” Ayela asked as they walked into the check-in office at the motel.
“To give ourselves a bit of a break. We’ve been on the road for a day and a half, and before that we were embarking on a dangerous mission and traveling all over thaerv without even a second to collect ourselves. We’re just taking a break for a night, and then we’ll be back on the road,” he answered truthfully, much to Ayela’s surprise. They were in such a public place, she was sure someone would raise an eyebrow at them.
“Ah, Asher. It’s been a long while, friend,” the dwarven clerk at the desk said as they approached. He was a shorter man, only a head taller than Ayela. His accent was thick, announcing his immigration from the City-States to their glorious empire. He was balding a little, and wore a thick, black beard. He had a little bit of a stomach, but it was complimented with thick arms and broad shoulders. One of his pointed ears was folded over, likely from an accident he’d gotten himself into.
“Too long, Kag’n. You heard the news?” Asher asked as the dwarf handed him a room key. Ayela assumed he’d been here many times before.
“Aye. Bad mess that one is. Only, I’m not so convinced those sods were truly Durinveii. No Governor from the States would send agents to attack another country like that, even if they were Zadist. The Lord-President does his best to maintain peace on all fronts, save for those sorry blood elves – no offense,” he said, nodding over at Ayela. She glared at him, but didn’t let it linger.
“I agree – about the States not attacking another country outright like they supposedly did here,” Asher said, implying what they’d discovered. Even though Kag’n didn’t betray it with his expression, she could tell he knew what Asher meant. “Anyways, we’re just going to offload in our room and stay in town for the night. Stick to the shadows, ye huddled foes.”
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“And in the shadows, thy secrets be known. Enjoy your stay, ya salty dog,” Kag’n said with a smirk. Asher returned his smile and led them to their room.
The rest of the day was spent with the girls walking around the city while the boys paid a visit to the bar for a couple drinks. They enjoyed their time off, but Ayela had a bad feeling in the pit of her gut. It seemed like there was something at every turn, waiting to jump out of the shadows and attack her. Things were going too smoothly. Sure, they had their share of close calls, but things were ultimately going well, and that made Ayela paranoid.
As the three of them wandered down the street in the early evening hours, they spent their time sharing stories from their childhood and wandering into different stores to explore what they had for sale. Eventually, they ended up at a café, ordering coffee and enjoying the cool, easy night.
“Something feels off,” Ayela said, interrupting their conversation about Kamille’s entry into the darkling organization. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but something just feels off.”
“What do you mean?” Kamille asked, taking another sip of her coffee. They were fortunate enough that no one was sitting at any of the other wire tables outside with them, and any pedestrians were engrossed in their own conversations and activities to pay them any mind.
“You don’t think it’s weird how well any of this has gone? Like, no one has suspected our activities at all since we’ve embarked on this mission… No one has detected us, no one has listened in… Something just feels off,” Ayela remarked.
Kacyn sighed, and it felt as though Ayela’s heart dropped into her stomach. “…I haven’t been completely honest with you,” she began. Before she had the chance to continue, though, dark clouds began to form overhead, blocking out what little sunlight remained in the twilight hours. The wind suddenly started to pick up, and a roll of thunder ominously vibrated the ground from overhead. They girls stood to her feet, and Ayela started to sense that dark presence Kacyn felt in D’Vnora.
Then, like a ghost coming to haunt her from her deepest and darkest nightmares, a smooth and seductive voice called out from behind her. Kamille’s eyes widened, and Kacyn’s expression fell with fear. It was a voice that made Ayela’s skin crawl, reminding her that the one who took Rhaja’s life was still out alive and active…
…And then Tallie said, “Hello, dancer…”
