I was truly astonished. If she could see in the darkness, she’d probably notice my blank blinking — this lady could pass for a decent TV comrcial. Maybe if she wasn’t such a drunkard, her life could’ve been better.
Now she was stuck with a bunch of lowlifes who actually believed they were the shit.
Regardless of what I thought, it was just preconceived and imposed. I didn’t know this Black Snow Company, and I was certainly in their debt.
"So... Levi?"
"Oh right. That’s our boss. He’s the brain, strength, and money bag behind us. He’s the real Black Snow." She shifted slightly, the sound of fabric rustling in the dark. "Listen, the boss is very rich, cos from a literal illustrious family — that’s what they call them, right?"
"What’s his angle then?" I asked. "If he’s as rich as you say, shouldn’t he be so rchant Duke in so kingdom instead of the leader of a criminal organization... trying to help a lowlife like escape?"
My tone ca out flat. Realistic.
’Because nothing about this makes sense.’
There was silence for a bit. Then she spoke.
"Well, the boss certainly has more affinity towards the dirty side." Her voice carried sothing heavier now, weighted. "We all have our circumstances, you know. And sotis they teach us to embrace even the wrong things about ourselves. Or the world."
There was a pause.
"Aren’t you in such a phase yourself right now?"
I stayed silent for a mont. Perhaps I understood what she ant. This situation had brought face to face with the sad state of my reality — how I chose to treat this mont would most likely dictate how my future turned out.
I knew these things. But they were simply head knowledge.
The only thing I cared enough to consider right now was vengeance. My growth should be carved to satiate that hunger. I wanted to destroy the church for what they did to Lira, to the rcenary guild. And right now, I just didn’t care how many died to get to that point. How many I had to cut through. How much blood stained my hands by the end.
So I didn’t want to think about stuff like this.
’It’s uncomfortable. All of it.’
"Tch." I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat. "What about Emma? Can you tell her state?"
"Your sister is fine. She woke up a couple of hours ago — I fed her before she slept back." The woman’s tone brightened slightly. "Right, are you hungry? For now we’ll have to make do with cheese and water until we get out of here, haha."
I stopped hearing when she said ’a couple hours ago.’
My brows knitted together.
"Wait. How long have we been here?"
"Well..." Her voice disappeared for a few monts, as if she was thinking. "Well, I think about sixteen hours? You were really out for a long ti, haha!"
’Sixteen hours.’
Shock settled into my lungs, cold and sharp.
By now, everyone would’ve known.
I thought about my classmates — Elena, Derek, and the others. Those guys... the church didn’t even need to do anything, but they were ready to hate . Now that I’d given them reasons, they would certainly hate to the fullest. Paint as the villain they always wanted to be.
’Those bastards.’
It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t hurt. These were my comrades from Earth. Or at least were supposed to be. And yet here we were — people who weren’t even willing to spare the benefit of doubt. Who’d probably already decided I was guilty before hearing my side. Before considering that maybe, just maybe, the church was full of shit.
I could already imagine the things they were saying, the scorn twisting their faces. The righteous fury in their eyes as they condemned .
’It was a good thing I killed Kael. One less classmate to scorn .’
I should’ve been resolved enough to kill Kai earlier. That one would’ve landed better — would’ve felt more satisfying. Either way, I was on my own now. I needed to stop thinking about them, to stop considering the fact that we were from Earth together. If I wanted to destroy the church, I should be ready to face them too. All of them. Every last self-righteous hypocrite who chose the church’s lies over the truth.
"You’re awfully silent." Her voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. "And your breathing is quite sharp."
I frowned slightly, looking opposite where her voice ca from. I could see a rough outline of her shape in the darkness now — a shadow among shadows.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"You can tell a person’s emotional state by the sound and rhythm of their breath." She said it matter-of-factly. "Yours is a pitiful ss. You need to sleep."
"No. I do not." My jaw tightened. "Where is Tristan? Is he the one driving the wagon?"
"Huh? No, of course not. They’re clearing our trails. Or doing sothing else — who knows." She sounded almost amused. "It’s pointless worrying about people like Tristy or Boss. They’re perfectly fine, I promise you."
I frowned darkly.
"I’m not worried..."
"Oh? You aren’t?" There was a smile in her voice now. "Then what may be the case? You don’t trust ?"
I lingered for a bit, considering the question.
"Not that I do... but you don’t have any reason to lie to . Moreover, if I was in a hostage situation, I’d be tied down like a sheep."
"Why would anyone want to tie down such adorable creatures! Damn." She laughed softly. "But I understand you. It’s okay not to trust — I don’t expect that you do. I am rely carrying out orders after all."
I raised my eyes again, trying to read her shadow.
"And what are those orders?"
Her voice ca a second late this ti.
"To bring you to Faeren Heights intact." Her tone beca sharper, more resolved — like tempered steel. "At all cost."
I couldn’t see her face, but the way she spoke made effortlessly picture the kind of strong look she probably had right now.
I exhaled slowly.
"Thank—"
Before I could say the ’you’, the entire wagon bumped hard and suddenly ca to a halt. The jolt threw slightly forward, and I braced against the wooden floor.
’That can’t be good.’
My nerves shot up on alert, every muscle tensing.
But instead I heard her whisper, calm and unhurried.
"Shhhuuushhh. There’s no need to be scared." Sothing in her tone was almost reassuring. "They’re probably just so thugs. This is a high-profile rchant group — even the church will need a warrant to go through our goods. Only tariff officials and Coastal Lords have the authority to do that without warrants, and those are hard to co by at the outskirts of Therewoods."
I wasn’t sure where Therewoods was, but it sounded like we’d left Atherre and were progressing towards Mishard Thicket as she’d said.
Surprisingly, just as the lady predicted, the wagon continued moving. We were back to galloping, the rhythm steady once more. The road this ti seed especially rough — uneven and jarring. Perhaps it was a forest path, wheels were crunching over roots and packed earth.
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