Halo had expected the day to follow its usual rhythm, predictable and brief. But the devil doesn't bargain.
The discovery of Aeliana with those men outside, guards of this land, would have to wait. He couldn't even revisit their previous conversation or fully process what he'd seen last night.
He found himself downstairs in the hall, the meal he'd described to Silas placed before him. He hadn't anticipated a crowd, but everyone who'd come to the inn that day was there: the staff, the guests, even the owner, an old woman who looked like death warmed over her.
The beef curry exceeded expectations. Between the smell, the thick sauce, and the tender beef, his mouth watered instantly.
But the heavy breathing of bystanders crowding behind him made him uneasy, as did his own dark thoughts.
