Adirich strode out of the courtyard and made a careful circuit around the manor, ensuring that no extra souls were lingering about. Then, he quietly approached Myke's quarters, peering through a crack in the window for a spell.
Myke was grievously injured and had not attended the tournament, remaining in his chamber to mend his wounds.
"Myke?" Adirich called out tentatively.
"What?" Myke's voice was frail, and his eyes were shut in disinterest.
Adirich scoffed inwardly, vowing to deal with him eventually.
A crimson trail of blood snaked through Alavin's courtyard and into his room. It was a path of blood that dripped from Alavin all the way from his clash in the Arena.
Adirich stood at the gatehouse, pondering how to lure Nikulas out. Adirich wished for no one to know of his presence, lest suspicions fell upon him.
Yet, he thought, perhaps the Commander himself wished for Alavin's demise. That madcap sought only his own glory, casting aside the honor of Cobalt Strike. The Commander must’ve been the most mortified of all. Any explanation now would seem but a feeble cover-up, especially after Cedrick's pronouncements.
With resolve, Adirich clenched his dagger and stepped toward the courtyard, but as the door creaked open, he had to quickly conceal himself behind the nearby hedgerow.
Nikulas exited softly, making haste toward the proving grounds.
"Off to watch the tournament, are we?" Adirich mused with a smirk, confident that Nikulas cared not for Alavin's well-being and was drawn back to the spectacle of combat. For safety, he waited until he was sure that Nikulas had truly departed, before stealthily entering the courtyard.
What luck! Nikulas' absence could be the perfect scapegoat.
At Alavin's door, Adirich hesitated only a moment longer before entering, a crooked smile upon his face.
Alavin lay upon his bed, swathed in bandages meticulously applied. His pallor was ghastly, and his breath faint. It was clear that his injuries were severe, with blood seeping through the dressings.
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