After hanging up, Anna immediately called Henna and informed her about meeting Zora and her mom the day after tomorrow. It was already nighttime when she hung up her call with Henna. A few moments later, she walked inside the mansion and took the stairs to her room.
A hooded figure descended the stairs with silent and stealthy steps, following someone before him. Amaya could be seen getting ready to leave through the main door. As soon as Amaya left the two-storey, unextraordinary house, she pulled her coat tighter around her and started walking towards the dark alley.
The narrow passage seemed to stretch endlessly, its cracked walls towering on either side. Flickering street lights buzzed faintly above, casting shaky, uneven pools of light onto the damp ground. With every step, the sound of her boots echoed off the walls, growing softer as she disappeared into the shadows, as the hooded figure followed behind her.
After a few twists and turns, the faint neon glow of a pub sign came into view. Its buzzing letters and muffled music spilling from within promised a refuge — or trouble — waiting.
Amaya turned to look around, making sure no one was following her. She walked inside the pub with a calm and composed look, making sure not to look suspicious.
The hooded figure stopped at the pub and read its name in his mind.
"The Rusty Lantern" Making sure not to get caught by the Midnighter, he went ahead of the pub and entered the dark alley in front of the pub.
The Rusty Lantern's interior was dim and worn, lit by flickering amber lights that cast soft shadows on the brick walls. A long, scratched wooden bar stretched across one side, lined with dusty bottles and old stools. Scattered tables filled the room, some crowded with murmuring patrons, others left empty. In the corner, a small stage sat quiet, its forgotten instruments hinting at past music and lost nights.
Amaya stood at the entrance of the pub and scanned the room, looking for the person she had to meet. Moments later, her eyes fell on a lean male with short black hair and a few white strands. A diagonal scar was etched on the right of his ocean-like blue eyes. She started walking towards that person, and when she was five meters away from him, he called out to her.
"Amaya.." His tone was sweet like that of bells during a quiet spring morning.
Hearing him call out her name, a small smile adorned her face. "Uncle Vincent!"
"Let's talk outside," Vincent said as he grabbed his black fur scarf from a nearby chair and left the pub while Amaya followed behind her.
As he was about to leave, the doors opened, and a guy with scars all over his face bumped into Vincent. Vincent's smile faded, and he got ready to punish the fool in front of him, but when he moved to punish the perpetrator, he saw him bowing down while mumbling.
"I am sorry... I am sorry…" he looked like he was on the verge of tears.
"I-it's Alright," Vincent stuttered, seeing him act like that, and left the pub.
As soon as Vincent left the pub, the scarred guy moved towards the men's washroom. Right after the scarred guy entered the washroom, his tearful expression blossomed into a wide grin as he started chuckling to himself.
"Hehe! Hehe!"