Chapter 43: Mortuary Ruin
Baines left the Orion Assembly with a quiet, steady pace, exiting through a different passage that opened discreetly to the outside of the building.
The exchange had cost him a pill, but it was worth every grain of its composition. He had information now. The organizations and powers involved and the result of their fall. With a face unreadable as stone, he re-entered the Harper Hawks building to find Sir Dolik waiting.
The knight stood in the same spot, hands behind his back.
’Where did he go?’ Dolik mused, narrowing his eyes. He could sense the faint shift in energy around Baines, but he remained silent. As a guard, he wasn’t entitled to questions. He was there to follow, then figure out the rest from clues.
Still, Dolik’s instincts were sharp, he knew something had transpired.
"I lost interest in the vacation," Baines said flatly, brushing past him and heading toward the carriage. "I’m returning."
Dolik blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change.
A few hours ago, the young warrior had spoken of rest and exploration. Now, he was already heading back.
The worst part was, Baines didn’t even bother crafting a believable excuse.
Something in that attitude unsettled Dolik more than any lie could have.
I don’t owe you an explanation.