Chapter 163: For The Girls
It was late, almost midnight. The city was plunged into silence, broken only by the steady footsteps of the guards. Dylan had finally made it back to the inn; his muffled steps glided over the creaky floorboards as he made his way down the hallway leading to his room.
When he reached the door, he carefully tried to unlock it, not wanting to disturb the neighbors. But after a few seconds of effort, he sighed, shrugged, and knocked three sharp raps before taking a step back.
This was definitely his room—he knew it—but he distinctly remembered not locking it when he left. He had left his two companions inside, deep in conversation. So there was a good chance one of them was still there.
A creak proved him right. The door swung open abruptly, making him jump slightly.
A spear floated in the air, its tip pointed straight at his throat, held by an invisible force. In the shadow of the doorway stood a broad-shouldered figure, menacing despite the darkness.
"Where were you?" growled a deep, unmistakably feminine voice. Each word seemed to slice through the air.
"Jonas didn’t tell you I had business to take care of?" Dylan replied, raising one hand while the other still gripped a bag filled with oddly shaped objects.
But Maggie—because it was indeed her—didn’t answer. She frowned, then stepped forward and sniffed him like a dog tracking a suspicious scent. She took a step back, visibly puzzled.
"Weird... you don’t smell like alcohol."
"Of course not, because I didn’t drink any," Dylan answered calmly.
His eyes lingered for a moment on the emerald glow surrounding the spear—a familiar, living essence that vibrated just centimeters from his skin. It was Elisa’s energy, without a doubt.