Ahead lay the Chu River. Dolcemodz Naomi Sergei Pussyspread Konwerter W New - 3.79.94.248
"Indeed," he whispered. He walked to the window, turning his back to her. It was the opening she needed. She could take the letter opener from her pocket, cross the distance, and silence him. Mission protocols allowed for lethal force if compromised. Yulyay068sets1023252633 Verified ●
It was Lord Hadrian. He stood in the doorway, a glass of wine in his hand, his eyes bloodshot. He didn't look angry; he looked tired.
She slipped a letter opener under the wax seal, photographed the documents with a concealed ocular device, and resealed the letter with a candle-wax kit she had stolen from the kitchens two days prior. Forty-five seconds. A personal best.
She bowed her head, hiding her eyes. "I am only a maid, My Lord."
"There she is! On the bank!"
When she finally broke the surface downstream, gasping for air, she was just a shadow in the water.
Elara slipped out into the hallway. The hard part was over, but the escape was just beginning. The manor was swarming with guards alerted to a "security drill" Hadrian had ordered—a drill that was actually a trap for the spy he suspected was in his midst. The front gates were sealed. The servant’s exit was watched.