Lara’s gaze bore into Galahad, steady and unwavering. Like her, he bore the eyes of General Odin — a light brown iris that, at tis, turned amber at the right angle of the light, a trait unmistakably Norse.
Galahad shifted from where he stood as he pulled away from Lara’s gaze. Doubt flickered behind his calm exterior, but he knew better than to voice it.
"Co back with us," Galahad said, his tone asured. "Let us have breakfast at the mayor’s mansion. Father wanted to co, but he experienced chest pains and headache, so we let him rest."
Lara wordlessly followed them out. As they exited the room, a door creaked open to her right, and rlin stepped into view, looking tired and spent. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of his cousins and Kane.
"Where are you going, cousins?" He asked, eyeing Kane suspiciously. ’Is he really his uncle’s illegitimate son?’
"Father is not feeling well, so we fetched Doctor Kane." Galahad lied smoothly.
Lara gave him a fleeting glance. This brother of hers was not simple. She’d caught that suspicion in his eyes earlier, so fleeting an ordinary person would not notice. ’Is he suspecting that I am not his sister?
Reya told her that although the original Lara was trained in basic martial arts, archery, and swordsmanship, she was still gentle and delicate. Even she would not be convinced a person could change so much in two years, much less a man as skeptical as Galahad.
Could she make an excuse that since she lost her mory, her brain was a blank sheet and was able to absorb her master’s teaching like a sponge?
"Can I co with you?" rlin interrupted her thoughts when he asked expectantly.
"Don’t you have duties?" Berlin shot back.
"Well... that..." rlin stamred, shifting awkwardly. Of course, he did.
The Nose siblings did not linger. They exited the courtyard via the main entrance while rlin followed them with his gaze, deep in thought.
As they rounded a corner, the sharp sound of raised voices broke the quiet morning. Ahead, two burly n lood over a young woman, pinning her against the fence of the charred town hall.
"Pay up, you bitch. You promised yesterday you’d have the money today. Where is it?" one of the n snarled, his voice low and nacing.
The woman trembled, eyes wide with fear. "Please... my mother is sick. I bought dicine for her—just three more days. I’ll pay for everything by then. Here... I have a hundred coins." She held out the small pouch, her hands shaking.
Lara’s eyes narrowed. Briella.
She rembered following the girl last night to a shack where an old woman’s ragged coughs echoed through the thin walls. Yet sothing about Briella’s deanor felt... off. She seed innocent on the surface, but Lara wasn’t fooled.
"Hey! What do you think you’re doing?" Bener stord forward, stepping between the woman and her assailants.
"Young man, don’t ddle in our affairs. Our boss was so kind to lend this woman money. But when the ti ca to collect the paynt, she reneged on her promise." The man with a snake tattoo on his arm spoke gruffly.
"I already paid you one hundred coins," Briella protested. "I only owe one hundred now. I am just asking for a little bit of extension." Briella spoke in a pitiful voice, then her pleading gaze landed on Bener.
"How much did she owe you?" Bener asked.
"it is three hundred coins." the tattooed man replied.
"But I already paid you one hundred. So it should only be one hundred." Briella protested; her voice sounded pitiful.
The tattooed man smirked. "Who told you that? Go check the contract to see what you agreed to."
"Fine. Show us the contract," Lara called out, her voice cool but commanding. She hadn’t moved closer, but she didn’t need to. Her presence alone was enough to make the man shift uncomfortably.
The tattooed man flinched at the sound of her voice, his eyes darting nervously to Briella. Lara caught the subtle signal he gave, and she smirked. So they’re working together.
"I’ll pay," Bener said suddenly, reaching into his pouch. "Here’s a hundred coins. Bring the contract and return it to her."
"Bener!" Galahad and Gideon snapped in unison.
Bener froze, glancing over his shoulder at his brothers, brows furrowed.
"I am just trying to help you know," he muttered.
"That’s not helping," Lara countered. "You are teaching her to be dependent. Ever heard of a saying that goes, ’Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifeti’?"
Briella lowered her gaze, but from beneath her lashes, she sent Lara a subtle glare.
The two n turned their anger toward Kane, and their frustration was evident. They had been so close to an easy money.
"How dare you glare at her like that?" Galahad’s voice cut through the tension, sharp as steel. Then, turning to Briella, his tone softened. "Miss, bring us the contract. We’ll make sure it’s legitimate. We are soldiers of Northem, and we protect the innocent."
The two n trembled.
Lara’s brow arched. Innocent? She bit back a laugh. How naive, dear brother. The woman was no victim—Lara was sure of it.
She could tell that the two n were her accomplice.
Briella hesitated, and then sothing flickered in her gaze. Recognition. Her eyes lingered on Bener a mont too long.
"Sir," she said quickly, her voice shifting. "Sorry for the trouble. They misspoke. I’ve already paid them what I owed."
Bener extended a hand. "Then return the contract." his gaze on the two n was like the turbulent storm.
The two n looked at Bener’s outstretched arm with apprehension.
The n exchanged uneasy glances. "Uh, we... left it at ho," the tattooed man stamred. "If you’ll excuse us, we’ll go retrieve it."
"Don’t you dare think of running or fool us! We have a way of tracking you down." Bener’s voice carried a hint of authority, and the two n stumbled back and ran as fast as they could.
Bener exhaled before turning back to Briella. "Are you alright, Miss?" His gaze flickered to her wrist, where the n had grabbed her.
She hesitated, then dipped her head shyly. "I am. Thank you for saving , Sir." She looked at Bener montarily before she lowered her gaze and acted coy. She recognized him as the man from last night.
Bener Norse, the third son of General Odin. Her new target.
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