Kai knelt beside Elina, brushing back a few strands of her hair, "You alright?" he asked, softly.
Elina gave a faint smile, her eyes still gleaming faintly. "Mhm. Just... tired. But I'm okay."
Liliana stood nearby, visibly shaken.
Her eyes kept darting back to the now-blank alley wall, lips pursed in worry.
"We should… we should get going," she muttered, clutching Elina's arm.
Kai nodded, rising to his feet. "Yeah. Let's go."
They began walking back through the cobblestone streets, the air turning colder as dusk crept in.
The lanterns hanging above lit up one by one, their flames flickering gently against the evening breeze.
But just as they turned a corner near the city's central fountain.
A few figures blocked their path just up ahead—Kael Valkros stood in the center, arms folded, his fancy navy coat flowing behind him like a cape.
The Varnel brothers flanked him on either side, along with two more smug-looking nobles Kai didn't recognize.
