They followed Balthor through the back door of the tavern, down a narrow hallway lit only by flickering wall-mounted mana stones. The sound of the main room—laughter, music, shouting—faded with each step.
"Are you sure he's trustworthy?" Elena asked quietly, walking just behind Noel.
"He might look like a drunk… well, he is a drunk," Noel admitted, "but he's good people."
His voice was calm, but something flickered behind his eyes.
'Yeah. Good people. I remember how he helped Marcus later on... when that bastard from the Circle came looking for blood. But now that I know all that ahead of time… he'll be working for me instead.'
"Yeah," Noel repeated aloud. "He's definitely good people."
Elena gave him a skeptical side glance. "Right…"
Balthor stopped in front of a reinforced iron door and pressed his hand against a rune-locked panel. A soft glow responded, and with a heavy click, the door creaked open.
The space beyond was nothing like the tavern they'd left behind.
