179 A Twisted Truth
BAM! BAM! BAM! Arad ran forward, his eyes focused on the city. The wall is getting closer. ^Should I ask the guard to open the gate? No, it will take time^
The guards on the walls clenched their eyes in the dark, “Someone is coming…” One of them mumbled.
[Void Walk] Arad teleported directly behind the gate since he knew it will be empty.
“I was wrong. There is nothing out there.” The guard returned to his post. Oblivious to the dragon that snuck in.
CRACK! Each of Arad’s steps left an imprint on the road as he accelerated. Increasing his weight slowly to get more traction.
CLANG! CLANG! Arad’s ears tingled as he heard steel clashing. A fight is ensuing on Lyla’s street.
^I was right. Lyla knew someone will target her and Mira since they took Chuzuke’s side. She sent her daughter to me to keep her safe while she remained as a decoy.^
BAM! Arad’s nose started tingling, blood. He can smell it in the air. [Void Walk] He teleported forward to cut the distance.
***
A man rushed down the stairs of Lyla’s house, scared as two other men followed him. They jumped down and crashed onto Lyla’s stashed goods and causing a mess. CLAP! A lightning bolt zapped across the room, killing one of the men as the other two rushed outside.
“We’re safe! Damn it!” The two men smiled as they tried to run across the street.
Thud! Arad rushed past them. His hands shifted into claws as he ripped across their necks. SPLASH! Blood splashed in the air. But it was absorbed into Arad’s stomach with the corpses before they could hit the ground.
Arad stared at the shop door, seeing Lyla walk out with a spiked steel rod in her hand. Abel standing behind her covered in blood. “Arad? What brought you here?” Lyla gasped.
“I felt that you might get attacked.” Arad looked at Lyla and Abel. “Was it her?” He glared at the lord’s mansion with veins popping on his forehead. “I will burn it to the ground.”
Lyla gasped, feeling the immense pressure coming off Arad. She knew he was a dragon, and that wasn’t an empty threat. He was merely stating a fact.
“Wait!” Abel caught Arad by the shoulder. “Listen to me for a while, will you?”
Arad glared at Abel. “What is it?”
“It wasn’t stepmom. I was investigating her and something seemed off. Those aren’t even her men.” Abel glared at the mansion. “I check on her intentions, the latest contacts and it only got weirder.”
Arad looked at Abel. “Are you saying someone is setting her up?”
Abel and Arad walked back inside the shop where they sat on the rubble. “Three days before a diviner discovered the elder wood. A woman came to the mansion and talked with Stepmom about a deal. She said the royal family was looking for rare furniture for the princess’s wedding. And they will pay handsomely.”
Lyla looked at Arad. “I also heard of that. I know one of the maids in the lord’s mansion and she told me. So I can get anything rare I have to sell.”
Abel scratched his head. “The problem is that woman disappeared after one day without a trace after the slap incident. I bet stepmom wanted to make furniture from the elder wood to sell to the royal family.”
Lyla sighed, “That would have changed everything. The city will get a favor with the king, and a crap ton of money. I would say it would be a better financial decision than that kid Chuzuke.”
Arad looked at them. “That doesn’t change the fact you were attacked.”
“Listen to me,” Abel started at Arad. “I got enough dirt on stepmom to bury her alive, but those weren’t her soldiers.” He sighed.
“They even went to the trouble of stealing her men’s armor to look like them. Someone is trying to set her up.”
Abel approached one of the corpses and removed the helmet. “Look! It barely fit him.” The man’s head almost didn’t fit in the helmet.
Arad approached the corpse and looked closely. He noticed a bite mark on the neck. “Look,” He pointed at them and Abel and Lyla took a close look.
“Vampire?” Abel gasped.
“For real? But how could it be?” Lyla gasped.
Arad stood. “Lyla. I will take you to my house now.” He then looked at Abel. “Go inform Alcott about this first, and then the guild.”
“Alcott is out on a mission. He left two days ago with Ginger.”
“Then inform the guild, and make sure Nina is the one to know first.” Arad walked toward Lyla we’re heading out.
“Wait! Let me lock the place down first.” Lyla ran back inside to bring the keys as Abel left.
Arad looked at the road. “Loci,”
~Sorry, I can’t conjure anything besides you now. The street is blocking me.~ Loci was the nature the city is built on. She might control the dirt beneath the stone roads, but those manmade stuff aren’t a part of her.
^Fine, did you know where those men came from?^
~I didn’t see any of them enter or exit the city. But keep in mind I wasn’t paying that much attention in the last few months. And that looking inside the city is harder than the forest.~．
^Then keep an eye on the city skirts for anything strange.^
~I will do that. And I will try to grow plants between the street stones and buildings. But it will take some time since I’m still recovering.~
“I’m done.” Lyla approached Arad with a massive bag on her back.
^Don’t push yourself too much.^
Arad touched Lyla’s back, absorbing it into his stomach. “You can store all that?”
Arad stared at her. “You can carry it?” He smiled carrying her in his hands. Hold tight.
“Put me down! I can walk.” Lyla gasped.
“If they are watching us, they will know where did we go if we walked.” Arad smiled.
[Void Walk] [Void Walk] [Void Walk]
Each time Lyla blinked, the scenery would change. From the inside of her locked shop, to behind the gates, to the fields, and to the forest.
Almost immediately, Arad and Lyla appeared on the forest edge. “What happened?” She gasped.
Arad stared at a flower with Lyla in his hands. “Loci, I know I’m giving you a lot of work. But can you jumble the way after me?”
The flower grew a mouth. “I’m already doing that. It’s almost impossible for the average person to reach your house without me guiding them.”
“Thanks,” Arad rushed forward running with Lyla in his hands.