Chapter 98: Stay Still
Rafael stopped a few blocks before the local inn, his eyes narrowing as he watched the patrons enter and exit. The building doubled as both a pub for casual dining downstairs and an inn with rooms upstairs. As such, there were more people than those who were looking for shelter to rest their heads for the night.
That wasn’t good. The more people there were, the harder it would be for Rafael to spot his brothers. The looking glass that Soleia had designed was too small to scan large crowds.
In the end, Rafael decided to wait. It was safer to scout the entries for Elinora’s presence than to search every room for her with the risk of getting spotted by his brothers. However, if she truly did meet up with them, then Rafael had no doubt that she had already informed them of his presence here in Vramid.
He didn’t have to wait long. The sun was barely setting when a suspicious woman exited the inn. She looked back and forth, and Rafael straightened his posture as he took a closer look. Once he was sure that was Elinora, he got up from the tree he was resting on and cautiously tailed her.
"Keep an eye on the inn," he said into the sodalite, which Oliver held a matching piece for communication. "Make sure my brothers aren’t following her."
Once Rafael got a confirmation from Oliver, he picked up his pace, making sure not to be seen by Elinora. She looked back every once in a while, but her gaze hardly ever rested where he hid, if not swept by it without lingering for long.
Only when they approached the palace did Rafael come forward. He pulled a dagger from his boot and slit his hand, creating a thin line of blood. Just in case.
Before she could move any further, Rafael moved his hand and out shot a thin rope of blood. It wrapped around the woman’s waist, and with a sharp tug, yanked her back into the bushes and out of sight. A gasp escaped her lips, but Rafael quickly placed his palm over them to keep them sealed, and her gray eyes went wide.
When she realized who it was, she visibly relaxed, her shoulders dropping back down.