I, the slave boy, awaken with the most potent seed!!

The atmosphere of The Golden Thread shop suddenly felt stifling to Zafron and Mara. Their eyes, wide with shock, remained fixed on the unexpected arrivals: Malachi Vex and Lady Cordelia Fairfax. The pair's laughter echoed through the shop, oblivious to the turmoil they'd inadvertently caused.

Mara's hand shot out, gripping Zafron's arm with surprising strength. In one fluid motion, she yanked him down behind a cluster of ornate gowns displayed for browsing customers. They crouched low, hidden from view but with a partial line of sight to the newcomers.

"What in the world is lady Cordelia doing here in Drakoria?" Mara whispered, her voice trembling. "And with Malachi Vex of all people!"

Zafron, still processing the shock, shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know," he murmured. "But Vex's reputation precedes him. A certified womanizer if there ever was one. It's a boy amusing though how he moved from Matilda to now one of if not her closest friends,"

Mara's eyes darted around nervously, her breath coming in short gasps. "How are we supposed to avoid being seen by her? This is a disaster!"

Zafron studied Mara's face, confusion mixing with concern. "Why are you so shaken?" he whispered. "I mean, I'm surprised to see her too, but you look terrified."

Mara swallowed hard, her eyes meeting Zafron's. "There's something I never told you," she began, her voice barely audible. "The day you were attacked... I saw something. Lady Cordelia and Lord Blackthorn, they were alone in the mansion. They were discussing something and they later on took it to one of those storage rooms, you know the one just around the entrance of the mansion?

It felt... wrong. That same night, I saw Blackthorn and Gustavo leave the house. I wanted to warn you, but before I could..."

Understanding dawned on Zafron's face, followed quickly by a flash of pain as the memories resurfaced. He could almost feel the phantom sting of Gustavo's blade, that eerie magic weapon that had nearly ended his life. The attack that had forced them to flee Astoria for Drakoria, hoping to escape their past.

"You think she might tell Blackthorn where we are?" Zafron asked, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

Mara nodded, her eyes wide with fear. "We can't take that risk. We need to leave. Now."

Before they could move, the sound of approaching footsteps froze them in place. Lydia, the shopkeeper, was heading their way. Panic flashed across their faces as they realized how compromising their position must look.

"We can't stay like this," Zafron hissed. "We have to act normal."

With as much grace as they could muster, they straightened up, trying to appear as if they'd simply been examining the lower parts of the dresses. Lydia rounded the corner, her professional smile firmly in place.

"Have you made your decision?" she asked, her eyes flicking between them and the crimson gown Mara still wore.

"Yes," Zafron said quickly, perhaps a bit too eagerly. "We'll take it."

Lydia's smile widened. "Excellent choice. If you'll follow me to the reception, we can sort out the details."

As they made their way through the shop, Zafron and Mara found themselves in an aisle adjacent to where Cordelia and Malachi were browsing. Cordelia exuded sophistication, examining an outfit with a critical eye while Malachi held up another for her consideration. Their easy familiarity was evident, their bodies angled towards each other as they spoke in low, intimate tones.

Mara's grip on Zafron's arm tightened as they passed, her steps faltering slightly. The incongruity of the scene before them was jarring. Lady Cordelia Fairfax, wife of the Duke of Astoria, behaving so... casually with the notorious Malachi Vex. It raised more questions than answers, but now was not the time for investigation.

At the reception, Lydia quoted the price: "That will be two thousand five hundred Thalens, sir."

Zafron felt the blood drain from his face. The amount was staggering, far more than he'd anticipated. For a moment, he hesitated, his promise to Mara warring with financial prudence. But one look at Mara's face, a mixture of hope and worry, steeled his resolve.

"Of course," he said, reaching for his coin purse. As he counted out the Thalens, he couldn't help but wince internally. This would set them back significantly, but he'd made a promise. And right now, getting out of the shop as quickly as possible seemed worth any price.

Lydia carefully folded the gown, placing it in an ornate box with the shop's golden logo embossed on top. "Thank you for your purchase," she said, handing the package to Zafron. "Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

"No, thank you," Mara said quickly, already edging towards the door. "We really must be going."

Zafron nodded in agreement, clutching the box like a lifeline. They were so close to escaping unnoticed. Just a few more steps and they'd be out the door, away from the threat of discovery, away from the ghosts of their past that had so unexpectedly materialized.

Zafron's hand found Mara's, squeezing it reassuringly as they navigated through the last display of shimmering fabrics.

They had almost reached the exit, the bell above the door tinkling as another customer entered, when a voice cut through the air like a knife.

"Zafron?"

The name hung in the air, freezing them in their tracks. Slowly, almost against their will, they turned, their hearts pounding in their chests as they braced themselves to face whoever had recognized them in this most inopportune moment.

The scene froze, suspended in that instant of recognition and fear, leaving unanswered questions hanging in the air. Who had called out? Was it Cordelia, spelling doom for their carefully constructed new life? Or someone else entirely?

*Author's note*

As earlier promised, mass release continues today.

I'm a little sick but I'll keep doing my best to push out chapters because y'all went out of your way to support your boy!

Thanks a lot for the castles, the golden tickets, the powerstones and comments!!

Feel free to call me out on my mistakes!

Let's keep it moving!!