Later that night, Raven sneaked into Rord's storehouse.
She was lucky enough not to be caught by the guards.
She pinched her nose as the mixed herbal scent rushed to her nose as soon as she entered.
The storehouse was much more clean than she had expected. The floor, the boxes, the wall, all was shining.
She couldn't help but admire Rord's cleanliness.
" These guys are such clean creatures."
She started checking each box in the room trying to find out if there really was no Dreamshade.
There wasn't.
She sighed in frustration, closing the last box with a clack.
She couldn't understand what all those herbs were used for, when all the sick patients were only getting more sick.
The door creaked, interrupting her thoughts.
Two guards entered.
She swiftly slipped behind the boxes.
If she was to get caught, explaining herself would be too hard.
She stole peeks at the guards praying that they wouldn't come to the spot she was hiding in.
The footsteps were coming closer.
Her grip on her sword tightened.
The footsteps stopped.
She heard calm voices talking to each other as they checked some boxes.
She felt relieved.
" I just think the young lady might be the one who took away all of that purple herbs... What is it's name again?"
The other guard ignored him. He wasn't discouraged.
Instead he recognized the name.
" Yeah it's the dreamshadow."
Raven almost laughed. Dreamshadow?What was that?
" You can't even know what was lost, yet you are running your mouth saying unnecessary things. Just shut up."
The other one didn't seem to care about his fellow's warning.
" It isn't the dreamshadow?!" He sounded surprised at his own mistake but gave it no mind as he scratched his head.
"Well, whatever the name is, doesn't matter.If I can talk then I'm going to. My mouth isn't for decoration."
" Your whole body might be the decorations in the next few hours. Decorating the mat you will be rolled in while being buried. "
The other one just laughed it off as if it meant nothing. Raven felt afraid for him. He really sounded a person who would loss his poor life over his mouth.
The talkative guard just went on with his logic.
" It's simply obvious. She told us to take a rest. And in that exact moment, the herbs went missing. That means, she took them. Simple and understandable "
The other didn't reply. He just clicked his tongue, picked a herbal box and went out.
The other followed behind muttering curses at the fellow ignoring him. He kicked the door closed.
Raven let out a sigh of relief and got out of her hiding.
She remembered the female figure she had seen with Lance the other day. Could she be the one who took the herbs? If so, why?
With a muffled curse, she went to the inn they were staying at.
As soon as she opened the door, she was struck by a mouthwatering aroma of roasted meat, mingled with the scent of wine.
A happy smile drew across her face.
The group turned to her.
" Where have you been?" Kenji was the one to ask.
Raven didn't immediately answer.
She scanned each person's face. She couldn't tell what was on their minds.
" I was wandering in the mountains."
She walked to them, and casually sat just between Liza and Kenji.
" God bless me." She murmured as she reached for a bowl of buns.
She took one.
She then poured herself a cup of wine as she took a big bite on her bun.
She chewed, chewed, then stopped. She was the only one eating.
They were all looking at her.
She almost choked.
She chewed slowly, her gaze shifting from one person to another. They were unusually quiet. As if they had something big to tell her. But she couldn't think of anything serious.
Were they playing games on her? Or were they trying to make her choke to her death?
She swallowed, poured wine in her mouth.
" Do you have eye problems?" She asked with a warm smile. She really was curious on why her soulmates were acting the way they were.
Will rubbed his eyes.
" My eyes had been itching because I spent a lot of time without seeing you."
Raven laughed at Will's words. He really had a honeyed tongue.
" What do you want to tell this human being?'' She was referring to herself.
" Is the food delicious?" Will asked with a playful smile.
" Not really." Raven replied as she dug in every dish.
" It is extremely delicious." She added calmly.
She poured herself another cup of wine and drank it in one go.
She solemnly placed the cup down. She had already noticed something was wrong.
" What's wrong?" She asked, still smiling.
The silence was suffocating.
" We are going to Huntherb." Liza replied in whispers, but Raven heard it louder.
The smile slowly disappeared. For a moment she spaced out.
Liza continued with her explanation.
" Dreamshade are grown there. So maybe we can get the herbs from there and... "
Liza's voice sounded too far from her that she wasn't getting her words.
Huntherb was a place she once considered her home. A place that she knew wouldn't welcome her anymore.
She turned her head to Liza.
" Where?"
She wanted to know if she had heard correctly.
" Huntherb."
She stared at Liza for relatively a long time. Feeling awkward, Liza just looked away.
Raven shifted her gaze on the alcohol jar in front of her. Her mouth suddenly felt dry. Even the sweetness of wine had long been faded.
" Huntherb." She repeated her voice low that she couldn't even hear her own voice.
She muttered thousands of curses under her breath.
Why on earth were these things even happening?