The carriage raced through the merchant quarter with desperate urgency, wheels clattering over cobblestones while Anastasia pushed the horses harder than was safe. Inside the confined space Raze supported Oziel's weight, the swordsman's breathing growing increasingly labored as poison worked through his system despite his bloodline's resistance.
Elizabeth sat across from them, her golden eyes wide with concern as she watched the legendary fighter struggle against toxins that would have killed lesser cultivators within minutes. "How much farther?" she asked, her voice tight with worry.
"Two more streets," Anastasia called back, her tone carrying same urgency they all felt. "The safe house is near the central market, isolated enough for privacy but accessible enough that arrival won't draw excessive attention."
