Chapter 22

I stepped out of the room and into the night air. It was past midnight, yet the park buzzed like early evening. People moved, laughed, and strolled pretending nothing was amiss.

Someone had been busy while I was inside. Fools. Did they really think I wouldn’t notice? Their clan members, scattered across the grounds, were playing at being customers. Tch! A pathetic disguise.

I paused, scanning the crowd’s edges. From the smallest child to the oldest cripple each one of them could be carrying a weapon meant to kill. Someone among my own had sold me out. No matter. His nine generations before and after him will be erased.

Scoffing, my eyes shifted to the entrance paths. All still looked as they had when I arrived. But I knew, the clearer the path, the deadlier the walk. The darker the path, the more vicious the trap. Now that I was out, they would know. They’d already be sending their signals.

Fair enough. Three… two… one, fireworks cracked open the sky. This was undoubtedly their signal