The Docks Of Kalvanis stretched wide and chaotic, cluttered with people clutching ragged tickets and eager to be somewhere.The air smelled of food, salt, and sweat, and the buzz of conversations filled the air.
Families, friends and acquaintances gathered in tight circles, while lone travelers stood with guarded eyes, each person looking past the crowds, gazes fixed on destinations that promised either fun, freedom, or fortune.
As Adrian walked past the food stalls, Daevera snatched up food, fresh water and change of clothes, storing them in her pocket dimension, and leaving coins in their empty spaces.
Confused vendors would turn around after hearing a woosh and see their items taken, coins clattering in its place.
Adrian hung back from the crowd, his eyes scanning his surroundings through the thin strip of cloth over his eyes.
The City Watch manned ever corner of the docks, requesting identification from passengers before they proceeded to board their respective ships.
Guess we're stowing away, he thought.
*Wait, that's your brilliant idea? What happened to having underground connections?* Daevera quipped.
Things are different now. Like you said, they most likely think I am dead, and contacting anyone might blow my cover.
*Well, at least, this is not as reckless as some of your usual ideas,* Daevera said, as she sent an image of Adrian breaking into the keep to save Jax, wide-eyed when guards came at him, arrows nocked and pointed.
Point taken, he grinned.
Adrian's gaze swept over the docks until it landed on a line of cargo crates, their destinations stamped on boards that led to their respective ships. His pulse quickened when he spotted 'Dragon Empire' in rough, black script.
He slipped out of the darkness, heading for the direction of the crates lined up to depart for Dragon Empire. He crouched behind a stack of barrels, his heart pounding, willing himself to remain invisible.
His eyes tracked the movement of the dockworkers as they hauled boxes to the ships, their faces weary but focused on the task at hand.
Adrian stayed low, noting their movements. Wait for the big ones, he thought. There were a few crates larger than the rest, and if he could get inside one of those, he might have a shot at avoiding detection.
His heart hammered in his chest as he noticed three dockworkers talking not to far off from one of the large crates - large enough to fit him. One of them rubbed his back, clearly exhausted from lifting something heavy, and relishing the break.
Adrian waited, his breath shallow. The men were conversing between themselves, distacted. This was his chance.
Adrian took his moment, slipping around the corner of a pile of cargo, he darted toward the crate, sliding under the shadow of its massive wooden frame.
Adrian took another careful step and glanced back. The workers were still far enough away. He climbed into the lip of the crate, fitting himself between the stacked goods.
The interior was cramped, filled with stacks of dried herbs, crates of delicate glass vials, and tightly wrapped bundles of silk.
The lid of the crate was rough against his back as he lay in a cramped position. He tried to relax, but every muscle in his body was tense. He could hear the workers now standing in front of the crate. His heart skipped another beat, and he held his breath.
The heavy, creaking sound of the crate being lifted made him flinch. His body tensed, every nerve on edge. The workers groaned as they struggled to lift it.
"Bloody hell, it's even heavier than last time!" one of them grumbled, his voice thick with frustration.
Adrian remained perfectly still. The only sound he could hear was his own breath, shallow and controlled.
The crate lurched again, and Adrian had to brace himself as the contents inside jostled against him. A bundle of herbs brushed against his face, and the strong scent of lavender filled his nose. He stifled a cough, fighting the urge to sneeze.
"Excuse me, fine gentlemen." a voice called.
The workers froze. Adrian barely dared to move as a woman with the silvery voice approached.
"Do be a darling and take that crate to my cabin instead," Her voice was laced with a deadly charm that seemed to soften even the hardened sailors' edges.
The first dockworker hesitated, his mouth slightly agape. His eyes flicked to his companions.
"Yer cabin, milady?" one of them asked, still struggling to hold the crate. "I thought this was for the hold?"
"I changed my mind." the woman said, her voice like honey. "Do you gentlemen mind?"
Already hooked by her charm, one of them gave a sheepish grin. "Guess we can do that for ya, milady." He shifted the crate with a grunt, eager to please her despite the inconvenience.
The others grunted in agreement.
"Women," one muttered under his breath as they moved, his tone resigned but with a gleam in his eye. "She must've packed half the Dominion in there. You'd think a woman would know better than to fill a crate with everything she owns."
"Not our problem," another laughed. "Lift and haul, gentlemen," he teased.
With a final grunt, the workers set the crate down with a heavy thud.
The soft click of a door, and Adrian exhaled quietly. He waited for what seemed like an eternity, counting the seconds and minutes before he shifted, slowly and carefully. He cracked the lid open just enough to peek out.
The ship was now in motion. The creaking of the ropes, the sound of waves slapping against the hull. He could feel the movement beneath him as the ship pulled away from the docks.
A cabin. Not the most ideal hiding spot. Wonder what she wants to do with all those spices. Open an eatery? He thought as he slipped out of the crate.
The space was small and unlit. It was furnished with a bed, a cabinet, a writing desk cluttered with papers, and a narrow window with a view of the sea.
A small window looked out onto the vast ocean, and through it, Adrian could see Kalvanis shrinking in the distance, and with it, the Emerald Dominion.
He walked to the window and stared out at the receding lights of the city, feeling something cold and final in his chest.
I won't miss you, he thought.
Mala willing, with his bare hands, he would carve out a new life for himself in the Dragon Empire, one where no one could ever hurt him again.
Daevera's urgent voice rang in his mind, interrupting his thought. *Adrian's someone's coming, hide, quickly!*
Adrian slid behind the cabinet, his breath quickening as he flattened himself on the wall, aware that half his jacket was in full view, but hoping whoever it was, unlike him, had terrible eyesight.
The door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside - a tall man with long, dark hair and a raven perched on his shoulder. The bird's sharp eyes scanned the room, and the man's lips twitched as if he knew exactly what Adrian had been up to.
"You're always right, Elagra," the man drawled in an amused voice, eyes fixed on the half-jacket. He leaned back on the door, crossing his hands and feet as if he had all day. "We do have a stowaway."
Adrian's heart skipped several beats.