Time: August 18th, late afternoon Location: The streets of Runswick Status: @kitwhitriver
The sun was sinking below the massive canopy of redwood trees, casting long shadows onto the streets of Runswick as Thalra stepped out of La Roche Moussue and opened up her parasol to keep most of the sun’s dying rays out of her eyes. It had been well over a century since her body had fully adjusted to life above ground, but she still felt a slight twinge of pain during sunrises and sunsets if she didn’t keep her eyes fixed on the ground. If she hadn’t been looking, she might not have noticed the two shadows unlike the others dancing by on the street. They were trailing behind her, following at a measured distance and copying every turn she made on her way back to the apartment Nil and she had been living in for the past week. She cursed internally as her heart began to beat in earnest in her chest. A week in Runswick was apparently long enough for the Order to catch up with her.
Her first instinct was to throw her parasol aside and cause whatever small distraction she could in order to make her pursuers falter so she could lose them quickly. But then she paused. Efrain had bought her this parasol the first time they’d met in Arx. It reminded her of the second gift he’d given her, the sending stone that was so heavy in her pocket now. It would do her no good though. Efrain was either off fighting on some battlefield or at home in Khaggon. Either way, he was too far to help. She could send a message to Nil, but… No. He would come running and that was exactly what the Order wanted. She wouldn’t let them take him again, no matter what. Thalra needed to handle this by herself.
The moment of hesitation cost her. The two shadows trailing her were much closer now. Thalra snapped her parasol closed and bolted to the right, down the closest alleyway she saw. The two figures behind her were running after her instantly. She was never out of their line of sight. If she could manage to lose them for even a second she could cover herself in magic and hide from their eyes, but to do it now would be useless. She turned another corner, desperate now, and felt all the air go out of her lungs in a terrible wheeze as she collided with someone. Thalra looked up at the tall, cloaked figure to see a face obscured by a mask resembling a Death Adder snake.
Even worse was the pain, twisting and cold as it lanced through her and pulsed through her veins. Thalra looked down and saw the hooded figure’s gloved hand curled around the hilt of a dagger, the blade buried to the base inside her stomach.
