The dim light of a flickering streetlamp cast long, jagged shadows across the cobblestones as Liora and Derrin trudged through the winding alleys of The Hollow. The air was thick with a damp chill, carrying the faint smell of mildew and smoke. Overhead, wooden beams crisscrossed like jagged ribs, holding the leaning buildings together as if they might collapse at any moment. Liora's sharp eyes flicked over the uneven terrain, his boots instinctively avoiding the worst of the muck that pooled in the street's depressions.
"The boy's not working alone," Derrin muttered, breaking the tense silence that had settled over them as they wound through the labyrinth of The Hollow's dimly lit alleys. His voice carried an edge, sharp enough to slice through the damp, oppressive air. "Rumor has it he's tied to Jorven Quickstep. You remember that name, don't you?"
