The stairs were long, likely stretching all the way to the underground.
At the bottom was a dark, cave-like space. Tenby gave a strange knock—an irregular rhythm—and it must have been some kind of code.
The door opened from the inside, and the soft orange glow of candlelight spilled into the darkness.
The room beyond wasn't very big. Around a long wooden table were several chairs, and in the back, there was a cushioned bench.
Three men were already inside and they all turned to glare sharply at Dominic and the others.
Sensing danger, Dominic instinctively stepped in front of Shiao Yi to shield him and reached for his sword.
Tenby raised a hand and gave the men a smile.
The tense mood in the room eased, but the men's eyes now examined Dominic with a cold, blunt curiosity, as if trying to figure out what kind of man he was.
When Dominic, almost automatically, picked Shiao Yi up again, the men's tension visibly dropped even further.
