Chapter 109:Progress.
Both of them expected to have a peaceful night without anyone noticing them but that didn’t come to be.
Someone recognised them.
They had just finished their simple late meal readying themselves to leave the diner when someone approached.
She was the first one to notice. Her gaze slid sideways before his did.
An elf.
The surprising fact was that it was a high elf. He had pale skin, silver hair, and a walk that seemed too casual for most high elves.
His gaze assessed both of them before settling on Atheline.
"Do you know him?" Lilith asked her gaze never leaving the approaching elf.
Atheline squinted his eyes as he tried to remember who he was. He seemed familiar but also unfamiliar.
"I’m not really sure," he said," I get a familiar feeling but I can’t place it."
"We’ll just have to wait and see then," she murmured, her tone almost lazy as she leaned back in her chair.
He didn’t respond immediately. His gaze stayed on the elf their eyes meeting in the process.
The elf’s green eyes widened before a smile graced his lips.
A flicker of recognition flashed before Atheline but not enough to fully place him.
He was beginning to get an idea of who it was.
The elf came to a stop in front of their table his gaze still fixed on Atheline.
"I wasn’t expecting to see someone like you here," the elf said, his voice low enough to keep the conversation private," I thought you’d never leave the kingdom. "
His inquisitive gaze moved to Lilith.
At that moment recognition flashed before Atheline’s eyes.
"Sir Draken?" Atheline said, almost skeptical.
The elf’s eyes widened, then a fake mask of disappointment fell over his face.
"Don’t tell me you forgot who I was?" He asked.
Atheline shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips.
"No, you’ve just become a little different from what I remember. "
Sir Draken had been one of the few soldiers under Atheline’s father who had left the army in the hopes of travelling the world since it was peaceful.
Atheline had been sixteen at that time. Sir Draken had been the only one of the two who had gotten permission to leave.
A vacation of sorts.
"And who is this beautiful lady beside you," he asked, his gaze moving to Lilith.
Atheline smiled. He slid his hand into hers.
"This is my wife," he said proudly but still managed to maintain his composure.
"My lady," he bowed, "I apologise for the late greeting. "
Lilith waved him off clearly uninterested in their conversation.
"It was nice meeting Sir Draken but I must escort my beloved has had a very long journey," he said.
Sir Draken chuckled. The dismissal was smooth. Atheline wasn’t in the mood to talk with anyone.
"Yes," he acquainted, " if the light allows, we will meet in our next travels."
Atheline smiled and nodded.
"May the light protect you."
He inclined his head slightly in respect. Sir Draken did the same his hands clasped together and walked back to his table.
Lilith glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"Do you think he knows who I am?" She asked with amusement in her tone.
Atheline shrugged.
"Who knows?"
Her lips curved slightly.
"Should we go to bed," she said," You need enough rest."
Atheline nodded and stood up. He led her upstairs.
The door was then locked behind them with a soft click shutting the outside world off.
Atheline took a seat on the bed his gaze outside the window. The sky was covered in clouds, courtesy of the frequent storms that hit the port.
"Do you think it will rain today?" He asked.
She shook her head.
"No."
Lilith moved first, removing her gloves and changing into her nightwear while Atheline watched.
He followed right after and got into bed with her. She moved into his embrace, settling comfortably.
Sleep took them a few moments later.
.
.
.
The night deepened.
Outside the clouds had moved on while the city had eventually quieted down.
For a while, it seemed like nothing would happen, then he woke up.
Lilith stirred right after, her eyes fluttering open.
"Is something wrong," she asked, her voice rough from sleep.
Atheline shook his head.
"No, go back to sleep," he said while slowly running his hand through her hair.
Her eyes narrowed slightly before they closed. Atheline waited a few minutes before slowly getting out of bed.
He could feel it, the suppressant’s effects were reducing. His body was slowly adapting to suppressants.
DING
As though summoned the system screen appeared at the back of his mind.
[Suppressant adaptation: 28% (+7%)]
•At 60% your body will start experiencing the full effects of the poisoning.
WARNING.
•Half a day has been lost due to your body adapting to the poison.
Atheline almost stumbled. This was worse than he thought. The poison was getting worse and worse. Even half a day was important.
He walked to the study table, to quench his thirst since the bed didn’t have a nightstand.
As he drank the water, his thoughts went to their travel plans. A lot was going to change.
This meant, they couldn’t stop at any place like planned.
While Atheline was lost in his thoughts, Lilith startled her body again, instinctively feeling something was extremely wrong.
Her eyes snapped open in the darkness and immediately she could feel the strangeness around her.
The bed beside her was empty on the verge of going cold. He had just left the bed a few moments ago.
Her gaze moved to the window, and the door was also still locked.
So, he was inside.
Her gaze adjusted quickly. She found him almost immediately, standing near the small table a few steps from the window.
He stood with his back to hers, shoulders slightly hunched in what looked like exhaustion or something else.
Her eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing there?" she asked her voice accidentally sharpening," You should be in bed,"
He didn’t turn immediately but his voice came. That was enough to increase her worry.
"I just need..."
He didn’t get to finish, he lifted a white handkerchief to his lips and coughed.
She noticed he was trying to be as quiet as possible.
She frowned.
The sound was wrong, unlike a normal cough. It came out as though something wet was in his mouth.
She moved before the thought fully formed. By the time she reached him, he was already lowering the cloth.
Too late, she saw it plus the smell wafted to her.
Blood, darker than normal blood, almost black.
Her grip closed around his wrist before he could move.
"Why didn’t you tell me about this," she demanded.
Her voice had changed, gone was the softness, and what remained was cold and furry.
He didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he transferred the handkerchief to his free hand. A small fire rose from his hand and wrapped around the handkerchief.
The flames ate it quickly, before she could even snatch it.
Her grip tightened.
"Answer me!"
A soft exhale escaped him.
"It’s nothing. "
The cloth slowly turned to ash in his hands and the wind carried it away under her gaze.
Her nails dug into his skin.
"Don’t lie to me."
A suffocating silence fell between them as they gazed at each other.
Atheline felt guilty at the moment. This was just going to stress her even more than she was.
He exhaled softly.
"It’s progressing faster than expected."
His words were quiet, as a matter of fact, like he was discussing the weather.