Wind Can Whisper Dangers

Chapter 44
The Ruteron riders left Mond with their captive, Ordas, safely strapped to the horse, held in place by intricate ropes known only to their tribe.

Karyan, as a sign of respect, escorted them to the edge of the forest before turning back to the castle, his mind filled with anger and suspicion.

Ordas' parting words echoed in his mind, igniting unrest. It was not only Nalani who had been secretly visiting Ordas, but also Karina.

The assassin's talent for manipulation was becoming more and more apparent.

Karyan recalled when he caught Ordas after stabbing Nalani. The assassin cried out in fear, and left herself in jail.

Apparently it was a trick of her.
Returning to the castle, Karyan walked towards Bertoldi's Infirmary. Karina, who now looked better, sat slumped at the table where Nalani often prepared bandages. Her face was still pale and grim.

Karyan wasted no time in asking questions. "Did Ordas Suggest you take the potion? What reason did she give?"

Karina looked up. "She said it would help me see things clearly," she replied. "That it would help me understand my true purpose."

"What purpose? That you would meet the creature again?" asked Karyan scathingly.
Karina looked shocked. "No, I mean... ...."

"Stop pretending, Karina. I'm not stupid. I know you well enough to guess the way you think. I just can't figure out why you dared to go to the dungeon to meet that assassin. Didn’t you already know what she was locked up for?" Karya Sighed in frustration.

"She’s not an ordinary person. She called me from down there. You won't believe it."

When Nalani had said that Ordas could summon her through the wind, Karyan hadn't really believed it. But now that Karina had told him the same thing, he couldn't help but feel relieved that Err Seldam had taken over Ordas' detention.

Karyan's jaw hardened. "And you believe her with all her words?"

Karina's gaze faltered. "I think... I think she might be right. I've been so confused by everything lately. I want answers."

"Answers?" Karyan snapped in anger.

"Karina, she is a manipulator. Her words are poison."

"I know that now," she said, her voice trembling. "But at the Time, I was desperate. She made it sound so convincing."

Karyan took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. "I won't tolerate this kind of thing anymore. You should be more careful for your own sake. You think I don't care about you, the truth is I do. Listen, Karina. Don't go to the forest again. Deegon is gone. You can't expect anything from that evil creature anymore."

Karina did not answer. She lowered her head to avoid Karyan’s sharp gaze.

When Karyan came out of Bertold's residence, Radoff was already waiting with two guards. "How was it?" asked Radoff, who was always short on words.

But Karyan understood his meaning. "Keep an eye on her," he said. "She’s very stubborn and will only stop if her goal fails miserably before her eyes."

Radoff nodded. He signaled to the two guards, who immediately split up, stationing themselves around Bertoldi's Residence to keep an eye on Karina.
***
Karina breathed a sigh of relief when Karyan left. At least she wasn't being punished because what happened could be considered some sort of punishment for her.

Her body ached, and her shame could not be ignored with pretense.

What Karyan didn't know was that Karina was actually looking for a potion to weaken the creature - some sort of sedative to make it easier to talk to. That day she had no intention of going to the dungeon, but like Nalani, she was summoned by Ordas through the wind.

She was on her way to Nalani's garden, to think of a new strategy there, when a soft, faint voice called out to her. "Karina... will you see me?"

Karina didn't recognize the voice. She thought it was Nalani, but the one who had just spoken had an unfamiliar intonation to her sensitive wolf ears.

"Come here, I have what you need, she-wolf." The voice called out to her again, Karina immediately knew where it was coming from.

The two guards had let their guard down, believing that Ordas was safely confined in her darker, deeper cell. Karina transformed into a wolf to more easily sneak past them.

She found herself standing before Ordas, who smiled at her from behind the bars. "Karina, daughter of Deegon," she greeted. "You were looking for a way to weaken that creature, weren't you?" Ordas said, gently whispering.

Karina was stunned. She knew the woman was Ordas, a Ruteron assassin who had been arrested for trying to kill alani. However, she had no idea that Ordas was no ordinary assassin.

Karina nodded, wary but desperate. "I must speak to him Without... risk."

Ordas approached, her eyes flashing. "There is a tranquilizer potion that you might be able to use. You can find it in your dealer's house, as usually a healer makes such potions. It will make the creature tame, easier to control."

Karina looked interested. "Really? I'll look for it. But why do you want to help me?" she asked suspiciously.

Ordas grinned. "Let's just say I have my own reasons why I want you to succeed. Perhaps our goals are more aligned than you think."

That's why when the Ruterons arrived, Karina saw an opportunity to search Bertold's laboratory without getting caught, while everyone was focused on them.

The problem arose when she didn't know for sure which potion it was. Before she left Ordas, the assassin had told her that the potion was usually blue in color and smelled spicy.

So as she searched, she sniffed every bottle she found, eventasted it, until she finally began to feel her head spin and her body feel strange. All of a sudden she couldn't control herself and made a scene.

She was stupid, very stupid. Karyan always said that to her. Apparently it was true.

However, the incident did not make her want to cancel his plan. She looked around the room where Bertold was treating his patients.

She intended to continue looking for the potion. Blue-colored and spicy, she repeated to herself. This time she would not be foolish enough to taste it.

"Use your brain, Karina," she muttered to herself. Bertold Must have kept his important potions in a special place.”

She Then remembered a small shelf in the kitchen, the height of which was beyond her reach. There were some oddly shaped bottles lined up there.

Karina was sure that was where thepotion was.

"No need to wait. I can look for it now," she hissed. From the window she could see Bertold's figure in his herb garden.

Quick as a flash, Karina made her way to the healer's kitchen.

The shelf was there, with the strange narrow-necked bottles.

She turned into a wolf to sharpen her scent. As she looked up and sniffed toward the shelf, she smelled a spicy aroma from one of the bottles. "That's it," she thought with her heart pounding.

Immediately, her wolf form leapt up and snatchedthe bottle with her jaws. When it landed again, the contents of the bottle splashed slightly on the floor. "Blue!" she thought happily when she saw the color of the liquid. Still with her wolf figure, Karina carried the bottle in her mouth and ran away from Bertold's house.

***