Gasher and Zen exchanged worried glances as Furo continued to chat with the villagers in his foreign accent. They knew that their cover was at risk of being blown if Furo kept drawing attention to himself.Gasher leaned over to Zen and whispered, "We need to be ready to ditch Furo if things go south. We can't risk getting caught."Zen nodded in agreement. "I know, but let's hope it doesn't come to that. We've come too far to fail now."****“Come to think of it,” one of the villages started, turning to face Furo. "You talk like you're not from here." They stopped talking and turned their heads to look at him.Furo smiled nervously. "I've lived in foreign lands as a child," he replied.The villagers looked at each other skeptically, but Furo quickly added, "I've learned to adapt and pick up different accents along the way."The villagers laughed and began to tell stories of their experiences in foreign lands."I once went to the city of Elvendale," a burly man said. "It was full of e

Derek watched intently as Aurora held the cup of wine in her hand, taking in its aroma. He felt a mix of anticipation and anxiety, hoping she would take a sip of the spiked wine soon. He couldn't wait any longer to get the truth out of her about the antidote he desperately needed.As Aurora lifted the cup to her lips, Derek's heart raced with anticipation. He felt like he was holding his breath, waiting for her to drink. But to his dismay, Aurora didn't take a sip. Instead, she savored the aroma, swirling the cup in her hand and taking in the scent.Derek tried his best to hide his frustration and impatience, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. He couldn't help but think about all the risks he had taken to get the truth serum and how important it was to obtain the antidote. He didn't want to waste any more time.He tried to control his emotions and kept his eyes fixed on Aurora, hoping she would finally drink the wine. But she didn't, and instead, she continued to swirl the cu

The physician took the purse from Derek's hand, feeling its weight as he handed it over. She noticed that it was made of a rich, dark leather and had ornate gold detailing around the edges. As she opened the purse, the sight of the four large gold bars took her breath away.Each bar was approximately the size of her hand and glinted in the light of the chamber. The surface was smooth and flawless, with intricate designs etched into the metal. The physician couldn't help but run her fingers over the gold, marveling at its beauty.As she looked at the gold bars, the physician's eyes gleamed with excitement. She had never seen such a large amount of gold in one place before, and the thought of what she could do with it made her heart race. She turned to Derek, still holding the purse in her hand."Why are you giving this to me?" she asked, surprised by his generosity."To buy your silence about Aurora's condition," Derek replied, his face serious.The physician's eyebrows shot up in surp

Aurora slowly opened her eyes, feeling a bit groggy and disoriented. As she blinked a few times, she realized that she was lying down on a soft bed. She looked around and saw that she was in a small, cozy room. The walls were painted a soft shade of blue, and there was a small window that let in some sunlight. She saw Derek sleeping next to her, his hand holding onto hers tightly. She smiled at the sight of him, feeling grateful to have him by her side.As she tried to sit up, she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. She lay back down and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to steady herself. After a few moments, the dizziness passed, and she sat up slowly, looking at Derek again. He looked so peaceful and innocent while asleep, and she couldn't resist running her fingers through his hair. It was soft and silky to the touch, and she enjoyed the tender feel of it.As she leaned down to kiss his cheek, Derek suddenly stirred and opened his eyes. He sat up quickly and looked at her w

Ragnar's chambers were grand and opulent, with high ceilings and a grand fireplace that burned bright orange in the corner. The walls were lined with shelves full of ancient tomes and priceless artifacts. The room was dimly lit by a few flickering candles on the shelves.Ragnar was sitting at his desk, his face twisted into a scowl as he read through some scrolls. The silence was broken by the sound of the door creaking open, and Derek walking in.As Derek entered, Ragnar's eyes darted up and he glared at his son. He quickly scanned Derek from head to toe before picking up a nearby potted plant.With a swift motion, Ragnar hurled the plant at Derek. The plant went flying through the air, its leaves rustling as it spun towards Derek's head. Derek barely had time to react, and the pot smashed into his temple with a sickening thud.Derek fell to the ground, his hand clamped over his bleeding head. He groaned in pain as Ragnar stood up from his desk, a look of disgust etched across his fa