Chapter 267 - A Sly Switch (2/2)

Devina sighed. Yes. She was overthinking it. Overthinking it would cause her to lose this opportunity, ”Spread out and encircle him, do not move until I command it. There are too many innocents here”.

The Paladins nodded, then moved away from her to do just as she'd asked.

Devina watched the monster carefully as he watched the proceedings, he shifted from side to side. Not out of nervousness, it was almost out of boredom. He was so relaxed. It seemed, odd.

No, she was overthinking again. Her eyes strayed to the places her Paladins were taking. The crowd who had spotted their movements shifting nervously. They would draw attention if they were not careful. Their eagerness was too great.

A bell rang to the side, a call shortly following it.

”Passengers bound for the West on The Mariner! Call for Passengers bound for the West on The Mariner!”

Other calls began to sound out after it, ”Passengers bound for Holten on The Jolly Fish!”

”Passengers bound for Oretnis!”

”Passengers bound for Felin Deliae!”

”Passengers bound of Lutte!”

Devina's eyes snapped at that. Straight to the ship in question, the quickly back to the hooded monster. He barely flinched at the call. His shoulders dropped as if in sigh as he turned his eyes to the sh.i.p.s. Devina waited for a moment, waited for him to move, towards the ship, to part from the crowd.

She almost held her breath. The crowd passed around her, nodding respectfully. A blonde woman and what appeared to be her daughter. An elderly couple. A few sailors with rough beards. A brown haired young man with violet eyes. A young couple. A-

Devina's breath hitched as she turned in her spot, her eyes drifting to watch the young man with violet eyes, a sack hitched over his back as he made his way through the crowd casually towards the far dock where the first call had been made. Something about him was just so familiar...

”Watch it!” she heard Kelly's familiar call and her gaze snapped back around just in time to watch the hooded figure dart in the opposite direction to her.

”Get him!” Lukas called.

The Paladins sprung into action, and Devina too went to step forward, until she saw the hood on the disappearing figure fall back a little.

Blonde. The man was Blonde.

Devina froze.

That wasn't the monster she'd been looking for.

She stepped forward, reaching up on her toes to look over the crowd of people that was lining up for the boats around her.

”Last call! Last call for those bound for the West on The Mariner!”

Devina's eyes naturally strayed there upon hearing the loud dock master's voice above all others. Then, frozen, she watched as the brown haired, violent-eyed boy who'd walked passed her showed some papers to the boat captain, then smiled warmly as he climbed onto the ship.

Devina's breath hitched. His eyes may have been a different colour, and his braid cut off, but she'd definitely seen that side profile before.

As the boat began to pull away from the docks, Devina sprinted forward.