Two more men stepped out of the shadows and were coming towards them. She could eaily tell that they weren't here to stop the others but aid them.
As the men closed in around her, their cruel grins making her stomach twist. The alley seemed to grow narrower, the shadows creeping in from all sides. She clutched the scarf's fabric in her hands.
The taller one reached out first, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her forward. His grip was painfully tight, and Elara couldn't help the startled cry that escaped her lips.
"Let's see what a fine lady like you is carrying," he sneered, motioning for the others to join him. "A few gold coins? Jewelry?"
Elara struggled, pulling against his hold, but he was much stronger. Two of them stayed behind, one of them short and wiry, the other older with a scar running down his cheek. The older man's eyes narrowed as he looked at her, assessing her carefully, but he didn't speak.
