Elydes

Chapter 287 - Thickening Mist

Kai grimaced as the cold air stung his face. Before awareness fully returned to him, his senses scanned across the empty room for threats. He was pleased with how quickly the habits he developed in the Sanctuary returned.

The arrays he had scribbled on the windows and door showed no sign of breaking or tampering, though he knew that wasn’t always reliable. Mana Observer spread through every inch of the newly rented house for any sign of intrusion.

Separated by a thin wall, Flynn slept, buried in pillows. Rain was missing from the adjacent bedroom and had already moved to the living space. He sat at the center table, browsing his growing collection of carved animals. When the skill brushed him, he tilted his head and waved through the wall.

How can he always notice…

The warmth of the bed enticed Kai to lay five more minutes and forget about the world. He considered relenting, then his worries crushed the temptation. Hallowed Intuition thrummed, low and ominous. The sign was so subtle he wasn’t sure when it had begun, sometime in the two days since visiting the Hall.

Demanding more clarity from the skill would be like asking a fish to recite poetry: utterly pointless. If he focused his Mind, he could brush a sea of tangled murmurs. Danger loomed near with no indication of its nature or when it would strike.

Kai suppressed a shiver when his bare foot touched the cold stone tiles. The day prior an apprentice tanner had gone missing, dispelling any hope that Harry’s fiery death had rattled the abductors into hiding. The girl lived in the northern outskirts. There were no witnesses or traces of struggle, just two heartbroken parents worried for their daughter.