Luke pressed his back against the cold stone wall of the narrow alley, his breath shallow, the muted clamour of footsteps echoing behind him. The guards were still out there, combing the streets for him. But the creeping dusk, with its shadows stretching across the city, worked in his favour. He just had to stay quiet, stay hidden. The guards had the advantage in numbers, but Luke? He had the advantage of the dark.
He peered around the corner, watching as two guards marched by, their eyes scanning the dimming street but missing him completely. A sigh of relief escaped his lips, and he slipped out of the alley as silently as a shadow, keeping to the edges where the buildings cast long, protective silhouettes. He knew where he needed to go—Mayor Valen's office, but getting there undetected was the real challenge.
