Erlinda raced back to the inn, the barmaid's warning echoing in her mind. The scent of freshly baked bread wafted from a nearby bakery as she hurried through the bustling streets. She managed a quick smile for the woman at the desk, before heading straight to Lucas's room. Once inside, she paced anxiously on the creaky wooden floor, torn between going back to Darwin's hideout and her growing worry for Lucas. After everything Darwin had done for her, how could she even think of leaving Lucas behind? She pushed away the memory of Darwin saving her life, needing to focus on the present.

Time passed with no sign of Lucas. The gem merchant's shop was close by, so where could he be? Maybe he'd gone back to the tavern to get food? They were broke, but he could've offered to wash dishes.

With the sun setting, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, Erlinda hurried out, determined to find him. She rushed towards the tavern, keeping an eye out for soldiers, Lucas, Darwin, or Alistair. The sound of clinking glasses and muffled laughter greeted her as she stepped inside, the air heavy with the scent of ale and roasted meat. There was no sign of Lucas among the patrons.

Frowning, she approached a different barmaid. "Excuse me, have you seen a man with reddish-brown hair and brown and red leather armor? He might have been looking for work, maybe washing dishes?"

The barmaid shook her head, her brow furrowed in thought. "Sorry, miss. Haven't seen anyone like that today."

Erlinda's heart sank. She hurried towards the gem merchant's shop, the streets growing quieter as the day drew to a close. Suddenly, a commotion from a nearby alley caught her attention, the sound of muffled sobs and shuffling feet. Curious and concerned, she decided to investigate.

Cautiously, Erlinda made her way down the alley, the sounds of distress growing louder. The pungent smell of garbage and damp stone assaulted her nostrils. At the back, a small girl, no older than six or seven, was sobbing uncontrollably, her face streaked with dirt and tears. She clung to a boy who looked like he'd been through hell, his clothes tattered and covered in grime.

His shirt was stained with blood, his right eye swollen shut, and his left arm in a makeshift sling. When he weakly looked up at Erlinda, nervousness flickered across his bruised face.

Erlinda raised her hands, trying to reassure him. "I come in peace," she said gently, her voice soft and soothing. "A friend of mine was at the gem store. He didn't return to the inn. Have you seen him? He has reddish-brown hair and wore brown and red leather armor."

The little girl's sobs grew louder as the boy wiped away her tears with his dirty, trembling hand. With pain in his voice, he spoke, "He was taken by the soldiers."

Erlinda's face darkened. "What happened?"

The boy winced, gesturing to his injuries. "I was returning a lady's handkerchief, but a soldier accused me of stealing. When I denied it, he and his partner did this to me," he explained, his voice strained. "Your friend refused to pay them off, so they attacked him. He killed one and injured another, but the captain arrived with reinforcements and arrested him."

The little girl wiped her face with her sleeve, sniffling. "He saved my brother. If he hadn't fought them, my brother would've died."

Erlinda cursed herself for not being there to help. "Where was he taken?"

The boy pointed behind her, his hand shaking. "To the prisons." He turned to the girl, his voice gentle despite his pain. "Take her there," he instructed. The girl hesitated, but he reassured her, "Come back after showing her the way."

The girl wiped her hands on her dress and stood up, pointing down the street. "This way."

The cold, hard ground jolted me awake, my head throbbing in sync with my racing heart. Blinking away the blurriness, I tried to make sense of my surroundings, the dim light slowly revealing the dank chamber I found myself in. As I attempted to move, I realized my hands were bound tightly with coarse ropes, the fibers biting into my skin.

"Oh goddess, what is going on?" I muttered, my mind struggling to piece together the events that led me here. Memories of the soldiers, the boy, and Alistair flooded back, each one a painful reminder of my current predicament.

As if on cue, Alistair stepped out of the shadows, his cold gaze fixed upon me. The room was adorned with maps and parchments, the insignia of the Royal Knights prominently displayed with a single chair stood in the middle of the room.

Alistair circled around me, his footsteps echoing in the chamber. "Lucas, Lucas, Lucas," he taunted. "You've found yourself in quite the predicament, haven't you?"

I glared at him, "What do you want with me?"

Alistair chuckled maliciously, “What do I want, I thought I told you already, Erlinda. There is something valuable she possesses, and I want it."

My eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

Alistair leaned closer, his breath hot against my ear. "Darwin. Where is he?" My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Darwin's name. “How should I know?”, I retorted.

Alistair's expression darkened, as he grabbed me by the collar, “Don't lie to me," he snarled, his face mere inches from mine. "I know you've been helping him”. With a sudden, violent motion, he flung me to the ground. I hit the floor hard, the impact knocking the wind out of me. Gasping for air, I struggled to my knees, my heart pounding in my chest as I looked up at Alistair.

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As Alistair walked toward the chair and slowly lowered himself into it, his eyes never left mine. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and a small, unsettling smile played on his lips. "I've been doing some digging, Lucas," he began, his voice low and measured. "And I must say, your past is quite fascinating” “Dewpoint village," he continued, letting the name hang in the air for a moment. "A quaint little place, isn't it? I can almost picture you running through the streets as a young boy unaware of the pain that awaited you.”

He paused, his smile widening as he noticed my discomfort.

"Your father was a brave man, I'll give him that. Standing up to those bandits, protecting the villagers and their livelihoods. It's a shame that his courage cost him his life."

I felt a lump form in my throat, the memories of my father's sacrifice flooding back to me.

"I can only imagine the pain you must have felt, watching your father cut down in front of you. The helplessness, the anger, the thirst for revenge."

I took a deep breath, my eyes narrowing as I met Alistair's gaze. "So, you think that knowing about my past gives you an advantage in finding Darwin?" I asked, my voice steady despite the anger simmering beneath the surface.

"Darwin, the leader of the gang that killed your father," he said, before sitting up, crossing his arms. "And yet, here you are, protecting him like a loyal dog. It's pathetic, really."

I felt my jaw clench, my fingers curling into a fist “You don't know Darwin like I do," I said, my voice low.” "Yes, he is the leader of that gang, But Darwin didn't kill my father."

A sharp knock echoed through the room, cutting through the tension like a knife. Alistair and I locked eyes for a brief moment, before he rose from his chair, his movements slow and deliberate, and made his way to the door.

My eyes widened as I took in the sight of the man standing in the doorway. His black and gold robes, embroidered with intricate patterns of dragons, seemed to shimmer in the dim light of the room. The gold trim caught the light, casting a soft glow around him. He carried himself with an air of authority, his posture straight and his head held high. I recognized him instantly as Prince Adrian of Alveria, a man whose reputation for astuteness and tireless efforts in helping his realm preceded him.

Alistair's face contorted with rage as he recognized the royal visitor. In one swift motion, he lunged forward and seized me by the collar, his grip so tight that I could barely breathe. "Where is Darwin?" he growled, his hot breath hitting my face. “Something was really wrong” I thought.

I gasped for air, my lungs burning with each shallow breath. "Something must have happened," I managed to choke out. “Darwin must have abandoned his hideout.”

Alistair's grip tightened even further before, he forcefully threw me to the ground, his boot stomped on my chest, exerting a painful pressure. Prince Adrian stepped into the room, his presence commanding attention. He surveyed the scene before him, his expression unreadable. I could only imagine what he must have been thinking, seeing Alistair's rage and my struggling form.

The prince's gaze landed on me, "Three days ago”, he began, his voice deep and low. "Darwin infiltrated the royal castle and stole an item of immense importance from the library." I felt my blood run cold at his words, a sense of dread settling in the pit of my stomach. The prince continued, his tone laced with a quiet fury.

"My own sister aided him in this treachery," he spat, his fists clenching at his sides. "She, too, has fled and is now in hiding." He began to pace the room, his footsteps echoing off the stone walls.

"We hunted down Darwin's gang, slaughtering those who resisted and capturing the rest. They were hanged for their crimes, their bodies left to rot as a warning to others." He paused, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light. "But Darwin and the stolen item remain out of reach, vanished into the shadows."

Suddenly, my mind connected the dots. The book. Erlinda had the book, the very thing Darwin had stolen, and now she was unwittingly danger. I silently cursed Darwin and his reckless actions, anger and fear warring within me. How many times had he dragged us into his messes, even when we were children?

The prince's eyes locked onto mine I need to know where Darwin is," the prince demanded, his voice a low, menacing tone. "Tell me, and I may spare your miserable life."

Alistair's boot pressed down harder on my chest, crushing the air from my lungs.

"I don't know where he is," I managed to utter, my words strained under the pressure. The prince's eyes narrowed; his frustration palpable. "Perhaps I should rephrase the question," he stated, his voice impatient. "Where is Erlinda?"

“Can’t tell them that she is here. I thought. “Maybe something that sounds good but won’t get me killed.”

"Erlinda went missing after the earthquake in Dewpoint," I said, my words coming out in a rush. "I went looking for her and found her in a bar, right before this thug caught up to us." I jerked my head towards Alistair, hoping against hope that the prince would believe my story.

Silence descended upon the room, broken only by the sound of my own ragged breathing. The prince studied me intently, his eyes searching for any hint of deception. I held my breath, my heart hammering against my ribs as I waited for his response.

"So, she is here after all," he murmured. He turned to Alistair, his gaze hardening. “You failed to mention this earlier, Captain.”

Alistair's eyes widened, a flicker of fear crossing his face before he quickly composed himself. He swallowed hard, his adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he met the prince's gaze. "I had every intention of capturing her before the night's end, Your Highness," he said, his voice wavering slightly despite his efforts to keep it steady.

Prince Adrian's eyes narrowed, the torchlight casting dancing shadows across his face. The flickering flames seemed to amplify the darkness in his expression, the shadows twisting and writhing behind him like living things. He took a step closer to Alistair, his presence looming over the captain like a suffocating blanket.

"Find Erlinda," he commanded, each word dripping with unspoken threats. "Bring her to me, alive and unharmed. Do not dare to fail me again, Captain."

Alistair bowed his head, his posture stiff and submissive. "As you command, Your Highness," he murmured, his words barely audible above the crackling of the torches.

The two men strode out of the room, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls until they faded into silence. No sooner had they left than two soldiers burst into the room, their armor clanking as they moved. They grabbed me roughly by the arms, hauling me to my feet with bruising force.

They dragged me out of the room and down a dank, narrow hallway, the air growing colder and more stagnant with each step. The sound of their boots on the stone floor was almost deafening in the confined space, and I could hear my own ragged breathing as I fought to keep pace with their relentless march.

Finally, we reached a heavy wooden door, its surface scarred and pitted with age. One of the soldiers produced a key from his belt, the metal scraping against the lock as he turned it. The door swung open with a groan, revealing a small, dark cell beyond.

They shoved me inside, my feet stumbling on the uneven floor. I fell to my knees, the impact sending shockwaves of pain through my body. The soldiers quickly cut the ropes binding my hands, the sudden release of pressure sending pins and needles shooting up my arms.

Before I could even think to react, they slammed the door shut behind me, the heavy thud of the lock echoing in the cramped space. I was plunged into darkness, the only light coming from a tiny, barred window set high in the wall.