The marketplace was crowded with merchants, tourists, and locals going about their daily lives, and the streets of Torveth were alive with activity. But to Alex, the colorful spectacle seemed oppressive. Whispers followed him like a spectral echo, every shadow appeared to remain too long, and every pedestrian seemed to linger too long.
The pendant that was concealed under Alex's garment was touched by his fingertips. The fact that it was still there, securely hidden, had become a reflex. Raven walked behind him with her customary assurance, her keen eyes looking across the throng for danger.
"Don't you sense it?" She didn't look at him as she murmured.
"How do you feel?"
"The eyes." Someone is observing us.
Alex's heartbeat skipped. Raven's remarks validated his anxieties, which he had previously attributed to nervousness. "Are you certain?"
With her palm softly resting on her dagger's hilt, Raven nodded. "Continue to walk. Avoid looking back.
Raven maintained a steady and unwavering pace as they maneuvered through the mob. Alex made an effort to mimic her poise, but the feeling of being seen only intensified. He appeared to be the target of every gossip and every joke. He kept thinking about the guys collecting taxes and the disfigured man from the day before. Was he a target that they had marked?
Out of the corner of Alex's vision, he saw a hooded person sneaking through the throng as they passed a kiosk selling colorful silks. The tall individual had their face hidden by a black cloth robe. Alex's heartbeat accelerated.
"Raven," he murmured. "Behind us. A person wearing a hood.
Raven didn't turn around. Rather, she took a handful of clothes from the stand and pretended to examine it. "Explain them."
"Tall, hooded, and cloak of darkness. They are following us, but they are avoiding us.
With a hushed voice, Raven put the cloth back on the stall and walked on. "We must lose them just come with me.
She slipped into a short passageway between two booths without waiting for an answer. Alex looked back at the cloaked person and paused. Although the figure's face was obscured, Alex could feel their stare penetrate him for a brief period. He spun around and ran after Raven.
The passageway wound through a maze of wooden boxes and stone walls. Raven's footsteps were light and quiet as she traveled swiftly. Alex's boots scuffed on the rough dirt as he tried to stay up.
He questioned, breathing in sharp breaths, "Are we just running?"
"No," Raven answered in a composed tone considering the circumstances. "A trap is being set."
They came out onto a little courtyard that was surrounded by large buildings on three sides. Raven squatted behind a wagon herself after signaling Alex to shelter behind a pile of barrels. As Alex waited, the seconds seemed to drag on for hours, and his pulse raced.
At last, the hooded figure moved slowly and deliberately into the courtyard. They stopped in the middle and turned their heads to look around.
Raven's blade flashed in the sunshine as she struck suddenly. Her sword was aimed at the figure's neck as she advanced with deadly accuracy. However, the figure moved quickly, quicker than Alex had anticipated. They drew a short sword and stepped back, avoiding Raven's blow with ease.
"Who are you?" Raven's voice was harsh and icy as she ordered.
The person remained silent. Rather, their swords clashed with Raven's knife as they pounced for her. As the two performed a lethal dance of swords, the clang of metal reverberated throughout the courtyard. Alex stood transfixed, not knowing what to do.
The altercation was over as soon as it started. Raven moved quickly, pressing her knife to the cloaked figure's neck to disarm them. "Speak now," she said.
A young lady with a scar along her face and bright green eyes was revealed as the figure's hood fell back and their hands were raised in surrender. Despite the blade at her throat, she spoke calmly and stated, "I wasn't trying to hurt you."
"So why did you follow us?" With an unwavering hold on the blade, Raven questioned.
"I wanted to make sure you were who I believed you to be."
"Who do you suppose we are?"
The lady turned to look at Alex. Specifically, him. The pendant is being carried by him.
Alex's blood froze. "How were you able to know about the pendant?"
"Because it's not just any pendant," the lady answered after hesitating. It is a key. You're at far more risk than you think if you're carrying it.
Raven didn't let her guard drop, but she did gently lower her dagger. "Speak up quickly.
The lady identified herself as a former capital scholar named Liora. She said she had spent years studying the pendant and its relationship to the lost throne.
She clarified that the pendant was more than just a key. It's a lighthouse. Anyone who understands its importance will be attracted to it, some to defend it, some to seize its power. And believe me when I say that not all of them will be well-meaning.
Raven folded her arms. "And what side do you support?"
With a steady stare, Liora said, "The side that wants to see the rightful heir restored." "The kingdom is disintegrating, and the throne has been empty for far too long. There won't be much left to salvage if the successor doesn't come forward soon.
Alex gave a headshake. "You have the incorrect individual. I am not an heir. I have no idea where this pendant originated.
"That is irrelevant," Liora said. "The fact that you have it now is what counts. And you are a part of this whether you like it or not.
A cry rang out from the alleyway before they could ask Liora any more questions. Their leader's damaged face was contorted in rage when the market thugs discovered them. "They're there!" he said, pointing to Alex with his sword.
"Get moving!" With a cry, Raven grabbed Alex's arm and dragged him to a different exit. Liora trailed following, her coat flapping.
The pursuit was chaotic, with the sound of their pursuers' footsteps being amplified by the tiny passageways. Raven took the lead because of her significant understanding of the city's layout. With the thugs never far behind, they scurried through side alleys and scaled fences.
Alex's hold on the pendant tightened as he raced, his lungs burning. It was humming with electricity, and he felt its weight more than ever.
"This way!" Liora pointed to a secret corridor and yelled. The darkness engulfed them as they ducked inside.
On the outskirts of the city, the corridor led to an abandoned structure. The air was thick with the smell of mildew, and it was dusty and gloomy. After catching her breath, Raven barred the door behind them, her chest heaving.
She glared at Alex and said, "That was too close." "I told you to keep your head down for precisely this reason."
Alex didn't answer. His thoughts were racing, again repeating what Liora had said. The key was the pendant. A lighthouse. He had been selected by them.
With a solemn gaze, Liora ignited a little lamp. "We cannot remain here for too long. They will not give up until they locate us.
"So, what would you recommend?" Raven inquired.
"We depart from the city," Liora said. "We can reassemble at a secure location in the highlands. First, however, we need supplies and a strategy.
With a sigh, Raven combed through her hair. "All right. However, if you're deceiving us.
Liora firmly said, "I'm not." "You'll see."
Alex couldn't get rid of the notion that their problems were just getting started as they spent the night in the safe home. The shadows outside the window seemed to move by themselves, and the pendant felt heavier than before. He got the depressing impression that their adversaries were present everywhere, not just at the market.