Burning Castles | ✓

Chapter 9 - Answers

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∞ | Chapter 9 - Answers | ∞

Murstein Keep, Vonsworth

It was probably about an hour before the sun rose and in Vonsworth, the sun rose pretty early. The city was quiet and Adrastea slipped a black cloak over her dress and grabbed the leather satchel from her bed.

Opening her door silently, she peered out to see that the hallway was empty and not a single soul was in sight. Remaining where she was, she waited for five minutes, ensuring that no one was about and that included Jarek. Yes, he was turning out to be a good friend but she knew his loyalty to Rhydderch came first. She may not know much about the relationship between the pair but she knew enough and where ever she was going, she didn't want Rhydderch to know a single thing about it.

Lately, her supplies had been dwindling and that included the ingredients for the antidote and she had to stock up. The ingredients were common and easy to find but she still didn't trust people to get them for her. Her soul mate was paranoid and smart and hence, he would have eyes and ears everywhere especially now that Vonsworth belonged to him.

Satisfied that no one was going to catch her slipping away, Adrastea slid the hood of her cloak over her head and slinked out of the room and out of the castle.

Her footsteps were silent and several times, she had to pause here and there when she thought she heard footsteps around the huge castle and when she did, she remained still in the shadowed corners of the hallways.

Glancing at the small pocket watch in her hand, Adrastea could say that fifteen minutes had gone by and if she wanted to make it back before anyone noticed she had been gone, she had better leave now.

Taking a huge risk, she slunk out of the castle silently and walked in the shadows of the street to the forest near the city. She knew it was a huge risk coming on her own but she needed her supplies.

With her cloak billowing behind her, she stepped into the forested area and began hunting for her needed ingredients. Surprisingly, when she had been researching for the required and possible ingredients to counter off the poison of the Bloodberries, she had never expected to find the solution so easily.

Slipping past a set of trees, she found several of the necessary ingredients needed and began gathering them up gently before placing them in the leather satchel she had brought along. In no time at all, she was done and by now, the sun had risen and the city was waking up. Slipping the cloak of her hood up over her head, she slipped unnoticed onto the streets and blended in with the growing crowds as they began to get their day.

Successfully and surprisingly, she hadn't been caught or noticed and she hadn't felt anyone watching her as she made her way back to the castle. It was even more surprising when she hadn't been stopped at the gates. It was either security was getting lax or they knew who she was. Adrastea was betting on the latter.

Preparing herself to be questioned once she entered her room, she stopped in surprise at the fact that there was actually no one waiting for her. Suspicion prickled up her spine. Had she really sneaked past Rhydderch? She didn't really think so.

But the lack of anyone confronting her as the minutes gone by increased the likelihood. Or, he could be playing one of his mind games with me. I wouldn't put it past him. Rhydderch did like his psychological games.

She frowned and removed her cloak. But that didn't mean she liked or wanted to be subjected to them.

Deciding to pretend that nothing was wrong and to deny anything if Rhydderch or even Jarek confronted her about her whereabouts, she began slowly unpacking her procured items before grabbing her necessary medical instruments before heading down to one of the halls that they had decided to turn into an infirmary.