The tension between them crackled like dry wood.
The other men stepped in, inspecting every crevice. One of them crouched beside the bed and sniffed the covers. "Warm. They left not too long ago. An hour, maybe two."
Zorath's tail lashed in frustration. "Damn him," he hissed. "That cold-scaled bastard. He knew we were close."
"He's a snake," Tharion said under his breath, voice bitter. "Of course he slipped away."
A villager peeked in from the broken doorway, brows furrowed. "Is... is she truly in danger?" he asked hesitantly.
Zorath looked at him with raw anger flashing in his eyes. "You tell me. You watched them walk around this village for days and said nothing. Didn't once think to ask what a casted like that was doing with a female like her?"
The man shrank under his glare, guilt bleeding across his face. "She looked happy... we didn't know..."
