By the time they reached the surface the dawn had begun to stain the sky with red.
But Velmire did not wake up to birdsong or merchants' shouts
but It woke to the sound of bells.
One
Two
Three
Four
Syaoran froze as the last echo rolled through the streets like thunder.
Four chimes
A full purge
Kira's expression darkened. "Someone's dead Or about to "
They emerged from the ruins through a hidden gate in the garden behind an abandoned chapel From there, they could see smoke rising across the rooftops not the drifting plumes of chimney stacks it's thicker and darker.
Fire
And a Marching
Syaoran could see the glint of black armor,down in every single one of the main major streets
The Black Watch was moving in a force.
He felt a knot twisted in his gut.
"The tavern."
Kira caught his arm before he bolted. "Wait! If they know about the boy—Teren— then they'll be watching the tarven"
"They won't hurt her," he said. "They won't—"
"They will" Her grip tightened. "This is what the king does He punishes kindness. If she's still alive, and you running in will only hasten her death"
He shook her off with a cold fury in his eyes"Then I'll just have to move much faster than them"
The alleys has changed a lot since yesterday.
Where once there were beggars,but now there were bodies.Hung from posts or Thrown into gutters.
Syaoran didn't stop to count. He didn't blink,His focus burned like a blade honed by rage.
He reached the tavern just as the group of Watch soldiers rounded the corner.
The front door was broken in,The window shattered.
He slipped around the back, through the kitchen entrance Quietly but Fast.
Inside, flour dust floated through the air like ash. Tables overturned. Blood on the counter and the old tea kettle shattered on the floor
"Rinna…" he whispered.
He moved through the shadows, into the storage room.
That's where he found her.
Madam Rinna sat in her old wooden chair her shoulders slumped and with a shallow cut across her temple she Breathing—but it's weak.Beside her, Teren were laying unconscious, bruised but still alive.
Syaoran knelt beside her, taking her hand.
Her eyelids fluttered open. "You're late… again…"
He let out a sigh of relief but also pain.
"I'm here," he said softly.
"They searched everything," she whispered "Tore up the ovens,I told them nothing"
His fists clenched
Teren stirred. "They took it…"
Syaoran turned. "What?"
Teren's eyes were glassy. "The parchment,The map. They found it"
suddenly a chill crawled up in Syaoran spine
Then, from outside—
"He's in there!"
Kira's voice snapped from the alley"Syaoran, MOVE!"
He didn't hesitate.
He threw a bucket of flour over the lantern fire, dousing the room in smoke and choking dust. He slung Teren's arm over his shoulder,and lifted Rinna with his other hand, and barreled from the back.
Kira appeared in the alley with a gust of wind at her heels, hurling a spell behind her that cracked the stone street and sent two soldiers flying.
"We need to split!" she shouted.
"No," Syaoran growled, his lightning already stirring. "We end this."
Kira looked at him—really looked at him.
And for the first time, she didn't argue.
They ran through the alleyways, weaving a path toward a safer haven. But the Watch was closing in—and worse, behind them, the sound of chanting rose.
Not military orders
Not commands
but Cultists
And they were following the scent of Veilborn blood.