SWNOVELXO Chapter 10: Unraveling Threads
Chapter 10: Unraveling Threads
The quiet of the courtyard was a welcome respite after the chaos of the chase, but the peace was short-lived. Celia's mind raced as she caught her breath, scanning their surroundings. The streets of the city stretched out in the distance, silent and still under the glow of lantern light. But Celia knew the silence was fleeting. The Hawkes' men would be regrouping, and they couldn't afford to remain in one place for long.
Adrian leaned against the stone wall, his eyes scanning the street outside the courtyard. "We need to move. We can't stay here."
Celia nodded but held up a hand to stall him. "Wait. We need to figure out where we're going next."
Cassandra, still trembling from the chase, collapsed onto a nearby bench, her face pale and drawn. She rubbed her wrists, still raw from the ropes that had bound her, and glanced up at Celia, her eyes haunted.
"What's going on, Celia?" she whispered, her voice shaky. "Who are they? Why are they after me?"
Celia took a deep breath. She had suspected that Cassandra's involvement with the Hawkes was more than just a mere transaction, but now the pieces of the puzzle were starting to fit together in a way that sent chills down her spine.
"We don't have all the answers yet," Celia said, her voice steady but filled with uncertainty. "But I know one thing—we can't trust anyone associated with the Hawkes. They're not just mercenaries. There's something bigger at play here. Something that ties them all together."
Adrian's eyes flicked to her, his expression hard. "She's right. We need to know what we're really dealing with before we make another move."
Celia glanced at Cassandra, who was clutching her knees, her gaze distant. "What's your involvement with them?" she asked gently, though she could already sense that Cassandra had been kept in the dark about much of the organization's true motives.
Cassandra bit her lip, her eyes flicking nervously to the ground. "I… I don't know everything," she admitted, her voice cracking. "I was just a part of a deal. A deal that went wrong. I was supposed to—" She hesitated, her words hanging in the air like a fragile thread. "I don't know why they're after me now. But I can't go back there."
Her voice trembled with the weight of unspoken fear, and Celia could sense the depth of her anxiety. Cassandra wasn't just afraid of the Hawkes; there was something deeper, something more personal tied to this. Celia's heart softened, but she knew they had no time for empathy right now. They needed answers.
"We'll figure it out," Celia said firmly, crossing her arms as she paced in the small courtyard. "But first, we need to get to safety. We need to disappear for a while."
Adrian stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "We'll need help. And I know just the person."
---
The journey took them through winding streets and hidden alleys, away from the prying eyes of the Hawkes' men. Adrian had an old contact, a former ally who had worked with him in the past, someone who could provide them with a safe house—at least for a little while. The city was large, but not large enough to hide in forever. But they didn't have a choice. They needed time to regroup, to strategize.
The safe house turned out to be an old, abandoned manor on the edge of the city, tucked away behind high stone walls and overgrown with ivy. The building was crumbling, but its location was ideal for hiding. Adrian had the key, and after a quick glance around to ensure they weren't being followed, he led them inside.
The manor was eerily quiet. The air inside was stale, the furniture covered in dust and cobwebs. It hadn't seen visitors in years, but that was precisely what they needed. Celia's eyes scanned the rooms, her mind already working through their next steps.
"We'll be safe here for now," Adrian said, his voice low. "But we need answers. The Hawkes aren't just after Cassandra—they're after something more."
Celia nodded, her eyes narrowing. "What do you know about them?"
Adrian hesitated, his gaze flicking to Cassandra before returning to Celia. "They're not just mercenaries. They're part of a larger syndicate. A network of powerful families and factions with influence over almost every corner of the continent. The Hawkes themselves are just the muscle. They're the ones who do the dirty work."
Celia's mind raced. A network? A syndicate that spanned an entire continent? It was far worse than she had anticipated. But there was something even more troubling in Adrian's words.
"And Cassandra?" she asked, her voice steady. "What role does she play in all of this?"
Adrian's gaze softened, his eyes flickering briefly to Cassandra before he spoke again. "That's what I don't understand. I've been following the Hawkes for years, and they've always been tied to certain high-profile targets—rivals, enemies, politicians. But when I found out they had Cassandra, I couldn't figure out why she was involved. She's not a pawn in their games—not like the others. There's something… different about her."
Celia's stomach churned as she realized what Adrian was implying. "You think she's important," she said, her voice laced with disbelief.
Adrian didn't say anything, but his silence was answer enough. Cassandra's role in this mess wasn't just about being a victim—it was about something much bigger. But what?
Cassandra, still sitting on the edge of a dusty chair, looked up, her eyes haunted. "I don't know why they're after me. I don't know what they want." She clasped her hands in her lap, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "I just… I just want to be safe."
Celia walked over to her, crouching down to meet her gaze. "We'll keep you safe. But we need you to tell us everything you know. Every little detail might help us understand why they're after you."
Cassandra hesitated, a flash of fear crossing her face, but then she nodded. "Alright. I'll tell you everything."
---
As Cassandra began to speak, her voice was shaky but growing stronger with each word. The pieces of the puzzle slowly started to fall into place, but the picture they formed was even more complicated—and dangerous—than Celia had ever imagined.
The Hawkes weren't just a mercenary group. They were the tip of the iceberg in a much larger, more insidious scheme. And Cassandra? She wasn't just an innocent bystander. She was tied to it all in ways they still couldn't comprehend.