Back at the inn. The night before.
No one had any idea that the people they were waiting for were off somewhere screwing like newlyweds. Valen, Thorne, and the others had stayed up, waiting for news—any news—but as time crawled on, their boredom turned into restlessness, and eventually, into reckless entertainment. They played cards, gambled, drank, even arm-wrestled on the inn floor like kids stuck inside on a rainy day. But the silence from the so-called mission leaders was deafening.
Eventually, Thorne nudged Valen with his elbow. "Wanna hit the entertainment district? Say we're going to dig up intel from him or something?"
Valen didn't even hesitate. "Please. I'm gonna lose my mind if I sit here another hour."
