Chapter 36
One night ago...
The streets of Blackridge were silent, lit only by the pale glow of moonlight. Shadows danced gently across the stone paths, and beyond the thick glass windows, the stars blinked like watchful eyes in the sky.
Inside a quiet room at the Continental Inn, everyone was fast asleep — or so it seemed.
Kael Arkzen stood by the window, arms crossed, a half-empty glass in hand. He took a slow sip of the lukewarm wine, his gaze not on the stars, but distant — focused elsewhere.
He gently set the cup down on the window ledge, careful not to make a sound.
With a quiet sigh, Kael slipped on his coat, the dark fabric swirling softly around his ankles."They’re all asleep," he murmured to himself, his voice low and unreadable. "Time for a little... entertainment."
He turned away from the window, raising one hand with a fluid gesture. A shimmer of magic rippled in the air as invisible barriers sealed the rooms of both the boys and the girls — silent wards meant to keep them undisturbed and unaware.
Then, with a flick of his finger, Kael vanished — teleporting away into the night.
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"Damn it! I lost again!" a fat, sweating man groaned, slamming his cards onto the table.
Across from him, Kael smirked, twirling a golden coin between his fingers.