"Maybe Orig sent them to find me. Maybe Orig is with them." The thought alone made Taya's breath quicken, her heart pounding at the mere idea. She couldn't imagine how Orig would react if he saw her here, caught up in all this. The image of his face—filled with anger or maybe disappointment—was unbearable.
"I don't understand what you're talking about…" she managed to say, her voice a mixture of confusion and fear. Before she could finish, the people in the auction hall began to leave swiftly, vanishing through several hidden exits that Miro's assistants were guiding them toward.
She turned her head, hoping to find Miro among them, only to realize he'd already disappeared. She stood frozen, hearing faint footsteps approaching from the darkness. She hadn't thought Orig cared much about security, rarely even patrolling the kingdom's marketplaces. But now, everything felt different—why would he show up here?
