Chapter 10: Grand Misdirection.
Kael. Chapter 10.
Kael moved like a drifting shadow, all slow confidence and lazy grace, blending effortlessly into the loose groups of villagers that filled the market streets.
He didn’t follow too close, he wasn’t stupid. Not when the two disciples ahead were from the Sky Sword Sect, a group so famous for their strength and pride that even their sneezes probably struck fear into small animals.
The taller one had a stiff, stick-up-his-butt posture that screamed "upper disciple," while the other, shorter and broader, carried himself like a smug little toad who thought he owned the road.
The duo weaved through the bustling merchant district, not with stealth, but with loud purpose, their eyes scanning faces, their mouths barking questions, and their robes flaring as dramatically as wind allowed.
Kael frowned slightly as he watched. This wasn’t a search. This was a parade.
They were stopping at random stalls, asking sharp questions, flipping open crates of turnips like they expected to find stolen treasure beneath some carrots.
One of them even sniffed a merchant’s hair and asked, "Have you seen anyone suspicious recently?"—earning a loud "I sell onions, what do you think!?" from the poor, scared man.
Kael kept moving, occasionally stopping to pretend to inspect pottery or pick at dried meat hanging from wooden stands, always keeping the duo in his sight but never close enough to seem interested.
Beside him, Helga followed with the calm, bored energy of a giant mountain lion that hadn’t decided whether to nap or kill someone yet.
She didn’t say anything, but Kael could tell she was watching the two disciples just as carefully as he was. That woman missed nothing.