Chapter 5

Kate’s POV

"I didn't kill anyone!" I scream as if this is going to save me from having a rope around my neck, while I run through the streets pulling a dragon-man by a chain.

Behind me, Dan speaks loudly, "I know I'm not in a position to express my humble opinion to my newest and dearest mistress, but saying that you've just ensured the old man will have beautiful dreams of colorful and big-headed unicorns won't help now!"

I hate knowing that Dan is right. And I hate even more knowing that if that old guy is Lord Redmond, I'll be quite dead if I don't get out of here soon and find a good hiding place.

It's essential to know the big names of the places you frequent, and the old folks, in various aspects—especially those involving loneliness—are always the easiest prey to deceive. But when you live a furtive life without a fixed residence, remembering all the faces of your victims becomes a complicated task.

How could I guess that I knocked out the man who is practically the mayor of Basinmond? The worst part is that I didn't have time to ensure he'd forget my face after this.

My luck is that the civilians on the streets, with their alarmed and indignant expressions, are just creating unnecessary noise and clearing the way for Dan and me. But there are some local guards nearby, and that's who I need to worry about once they stop leaning lazily against the commercial establishments’ walls and start chasing us.

I glance at Dan over my shoulder. “Is your tail really useful, or just for thumping on the ground when you get annoyed?”

He smiles peculiarly, "It depends on the type of utility we're discussing."

"This is not the time to be funny!"

"Apologies for my insolence, young mistress!" Dan lets out a breathless laugh. He must be the only one enjoying himself in the midst of all this. I wonder how, considering he's the one who had his Secret Name stolen for the second time. "Tell me what the miss has in mind, and we'll find out if my tail is useful for your grand plans!"

"It's nothing elaborate. At the right time, I'll tell you what you need to do."

Over the years, I've discovered that having special eyes is not only useful for identifying magical creatures hidden under the Veil. Sometimes, I can use this ability to turn my eyes into personal spyglasses. And thanks to that, I spotted something that might help make the guards' job more difficult.

Dan and I dash like thunderbolts, the mid-morning sun burning overhead. The metallic clinking of the guards' weapons and armor reaches my ears and becomes a constant reminder that I can't stop, even if my heart decides to leap out of my chest and start dancing on the asphalt.

At least, I know where to go, and I know we'll be safe there.

I release Dan's chain and grab one of his forearms, but my fingers can't even dream of closing around it. But it's better than continuing to pull him by the neck like he's a dog.

I lead us to the market area, and as we weave through merchants and passersby, who sidestep and sometimes scream in fear upon encountering the sight of the dragon-man, I tell Dan what I want him to do.

"Knock down everything you can reach!"

"Cliché, but should do the trick."

I don't know what face he made, and it wouldn't be a good idea to look back to make sure Dan understood what I intended. But after dodging numerous barrels and dozens of fruit baskets, I hear the clatter of those things falling behind us as we move through the market, followed by some curses and more screams.

"Sorry, humans! This is nothing personal!" Dan exclaims, confirming my suspicion that barrels and baskets are not the only things he's knocking over with his tail.

As we turn a corner, I come across an alley with some empty stacked boxes. I knocked some of them down on my own, and I assume Dan did the same. However, the metallic sound of armor and the shouts of the guards indicate that we are still targets; the atmosphere of danger urges me to run even faster.

"I think they're not giving up on us, young mistress," Dan says through gritted teeth.

"They will, trust me," I respond, but given the situation, I wouldn't believe myself if our roles were reversed. "We just need to keep running and try to delay them."

We continue our escape. As we navigate through paths that might be confusing for those unfamiliar with Basinmond’s intricacies, the number of people we encounter decreases until there's no one else but the two of us, our pursuers, and old houses that seem uninhabited.

The sound of the guards' boots echoes behind us, but my determination remains steadfast. I know that no one would dare go where I plan to hide with Dan—everyone believes that place is cursed by gods who abandoned the mortal world.

"You're quite crafty for someone of your apparent age," Dan says, his tone either the result of laughter interrupted by the frantic run or a sign that he's running out of breath. "How do you know so many hideouts?"

"When you live the way I live, you learn to find the best hiding spots. And this one, in particular, is the safest around here."

"So, besides being a witch and a thief, my young mistress is also a lonely girl?"

"Just forget the witch part. Master of Lies is the only spell I can use."

"Congratulations." The sarcasm in his voice is almost palpable.

"Just shut up and run!"

"Since we're getting along so well, may I speed up our escape? It will be easier now that we have fewer obstacles in our way."

"If it ensures I don't end up hanging, then go ahead—AH!"

At any other moment, I would die of embarrassment at the stupidly high-pitched and childish scream I let out. But what left my face burning was the moment Dan wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me off the ground with surreal ease, asking me to grab onto his neck and keep my legs raised, since he couldn't hold me any other way. But Dan wouldn't even need to ask me for that; I hug his neck out of pure instinct and fear of falling, lifting my legs as he tightens his grip to keep me attached to him.

"Don't forget to show me the way." He shakes me a bit, squeezing me even tighter as his tail wraps around my knees, causing a strange sensation that makes my body shiver a bit.

I pretend none of this is making me uneasy and try to pay attention to the path ahead. Then I realize that all this time, Dan has been keeping up with my pace when, in reality, he's much faster than me. As the guards fall behind, I point to which direction he should turn until, on the horizon, I glimpse the silhouette of a building that isn’t only larger but also looks much older than the others.

"There! To the cathedral!"

The doors are half-open, and the entrance is covered in ivy and moss, but nothing is stopping us from entering.

The cathedral's interior is a mix of shadows and ruin, with stained-glass allowing morning light to filter through, painting colorful patterns on the stone floor.

Dan sets me down, and I immediately run to a wide crack where I can peek outside. I see the guards reaching the area and hesitating, whispering among themselves. The place’s atmosphere seems to give them an involuntary pause, and they exchange bewildered looks before turning around and deciding not to continue the pursuit.

I sigh so relieved that I fall to my knees on the dusty ground, feeling my entire body tremble. As always, this cathedral, once a place of worship and faith and now a forbidden area, has become my sanctuary.

"What is... this place...?" Dan's deep voice echoes through the old, cracked walls. I look in his direction, and the dragon-man has his back to me, giving me another glimpse of the large scars. "Why they… these images on the stained-glass…?"

Dan's tail starts thumping on the floor again, raising a lot of dust.

I take a deep breath and respond, "This is the abandoned Cathedral of Basinmond, where they worshiped the Seven Dragon Gods."