Alaric arrived first.
Black tailored coat. Fitted perfectly. Quality fabric that spoke of money without screaming it. And the mask.
Black. Covering the upper half of his face. Elegant but simple design. No excessive decoration.
It was woven with a concealment talisman. Subtle distortion magic that would alter his voice slightly. Make his features blur just enough that even if someone stared directly at him, they'd struggle to recall exact details later.
Expensive. Yeah. But worth every coin.
He adjusted it. Made sure it sat properly.
His crimson eyes looked back at him from a shop window's reflection—except they didn't. The mask made them appear darker. Less distinctive. Just another pair of eyes behind black silk.
Good.
Footsteps approached from the side street.
Two figures moving together.
