While everyone else had gone to bed, disappointed that they could spend the day with Wise, Daphne sat up straight and glanced around the room.
The room was dark, with only a single bedside lamp illuminating the room to so degree.
Daphne turned to her left to check on the two people sleeping beside her. Both Freya and Es were already asleep, she could tell by the slow rhythmic way their chests rose and fell.
She got up from the bed, careful not to make a sound and imdiately walked over to where their things were kept.
Discarding her silk nightgown, Daphne put on leggings, a simple blouse and a long jacket that went down to her mid thighs—everything black.
The guards were always watching them, be it day or night, Daphne was sure of this and for the past few days, she had been taking note of their movents while observing them from the darkness.
There were two guards stationed at their door, three downstairs and about five outside the room.
Their room was placed on the fifth floor, a long way from the ground so security in that area was lax. Occasionally, a guard would walk past and glance at the window before leaving only to return about seven minutes later.
That was her chance.
Daphne walked over to her window and slowly pried it open as silently as she could, her dark eyes road the street, landing on the guard as he made his rounds.
He walked over and stared up at the window from above before yawning and turning away.
Summoning her shadows, a tendril held onto the window sill with just sufficient force, and then Daphne, using the shadow as a rope climbed down from the fifth floor, under the full assault of the chilly winds.
Imdiately her feet touched the floor, Daphne glued her back to the wall and snuck to the side of the building before stopping.
She could hear so voices just from the other side of the wall, soone was coming.
"To think the kid actually won!" Ca a gruff voice.
"I told you from the start, didn’t I? Don’t underestimate the dragons people. Now pay up!" A lighter but more stern voice said.
"Co on, are you really going to make pay? I already owe you money, you know."
Daphne slowed her breathing and cald her heart.
’I need a distraction.’
Pushing her body against the wall, Daphne peeked at the n on the other side of the wall. They had stopped moving and were now chatting leisurely.
Dark snake-like tendrils slithered through the darkness cast by the building and crept right behind the debtor.
Once it was close enough, it grabbed his leg and pulled him down.
The man yelped in shock, thinking that he had been grabbed by a snake, while his friend jumped backward, his eye wide and searching the grass for the assailant.
But Daphne had long dissipated the shadow, and using their mont of confusion, she managed to cross to the other side undetected.
Daphne remained hidden in the shadows, walking among them and communing with them until she made it out of the queen’s compound.
She arranged her coat that was doing little to abate the freezing temperatures, let out a steamy breath and began to walk away.
***
Taryn sat on a wooden chair set by the fire in the drunk Phoenix. Due to her agreent with the organizers she had managed to cover most of her debts.
But the main reason she was not open was that Wise had advised her against it, at least for now.
And so she was enjoying her favourite pasti, reading.
As Taryn glanced through the pages, listening to the light cracking of wood in the fireplace—words transford into vivid images, the story unfolding in her very eyes.
The atmosphere was serene and warm, there was practically no noise and the warmth of the fire made things feel even more than perfect.
That was until Taryn heard a faint clicking sound.
At first, she ignored it, too engrossed in her book to care. But then it happened again... and again, and again.
Taryn sighed and picked up her cane from the side of the table, using it to balance her steps.
The sound was coming from sowhere in the kitchen, it was either the neighborhood thug rats were back or she had left a window open.
Taryn slowly pushed the door and stepped into the kitchen, she looked around noting that everything was in order, everything save for the window.
She had left it open...
"Why do I keep forgetting?"
She walked up to the window and pushed it closed, pushing down the peg to keep it in place.
But just as the window snapped shut—cold hands wrapped themselves around her neck and then an icy voice, one devoid of any warmth whispered in her ear...
"You should really keep your windows closed... I hear monsters are lurking these streets."
It was a female voice, one that she recognized all too well. A voice she was terrified of.
Taryn’s breath hitched in her throat as the arms tightened around her neck, so much so that she gasped.
"W-what do you want?" Taryn asked, trying to put up a brave front.
She was greeted by silence and the grip on her neck suddenly loosened. When Taryn turned back, the individual was gone.
At least that was how it looked, but Taryn knew that this was far from over.
The room suddenly darkened, becoming even harder to see in.
"What are you doing here?" The voice was sharp, commanding and rciless. Her question could not be ignored.
Taryn stared at the darkness, slowly turning around trying to figure out where the voice had co from.
"That shouldn’t concern you—"
Whoosh!
A shadow tentacle sprung out of the darkness and slamd her right across her face, the blow so heavy that she stumbled to the ground.
When Taryn looked up, a pair of dark eyes, resembling an endless void, stared down at her.
"Princess Exthrela..."
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