An hour later, I was strolling across the realm, humming softly, a thick, musty tome tucked in my arms. There was no way Emlica should have let me take it, yet she'd been in such a good mood from receiving a mana cannon she couldn't refuse. I might have felt bad manipulating her like that, but she was fully aware it was happening. And she was prickly enough to say something if it truly bothered her.
"What's this?" Fyren asked.
I jumped as he settled to the ground beside me, the fires of his flight flickering away. "D-don't sneak up on me like that!"
He chuckled. "I was hardly sneaking. You were simply too absorbed in your thoughts. You should be more aware in the future. It would be too easy for an assassin to close."
"Not a lot I can do about it. Even if I knew they were coming, I'm too slow to react to anyone above sixth-level," I admitted.
"True enough. I suppose that's why those Dark Guild members were able to get so close before."
