The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

The caravan rolled onward, each wooden wheel protesting with a groan as it rolled over uneven cobblestone. The hush in the air was almost suffocating, and Mikhailis suppressed the urge to crack a joke—Vyrelda's expression was grim enough already. He could sense the tension in her posture; she sat straight, one hand resting on her thigh near the hilt of her sword. Even in the dim morning light and the swirling mist, her figure conveyed unwavering vigilance.

He let out a slow breath, leaning back against the wagon's side. Feels like we're riding through a ghost town.

They passed shuttered windows and boarded-up shopfronts, many of which had gone dark recently. The few people on the streets moved quickly, hoods drawn low, eyes downturned. The oppressive weight of the mist was something tangible, as though it carried secrets in every swirl and whisper. Every face they glimpsed seemed etched with worry. Even the stray cats lurking by alley mouths kept their distance, slinking away at the first sign of footsteps.

A dull clang echoed in the distance. Possibly the sound of a Technomancer patrol—metal boots or mechanical constructs pressing through the fog. Mikhailis's muscles tensed, but no immediate threat materialized. He glanced sidelong at Vyrelda, who gave the faintest nod. The caravan's driver, oblivious or perhaps well-practiced in ignoring danger, clucked his tongue at the draft animals and urged them on.

Soon they were winding through a back lane that wove between crumbling buildings. The walls leaned precariously, evidence of a city built and rebuilt upon itself over countless generations. The odor of musty decay mixed with the sharper tang of unknown alchemies drifting out from hidden workshops. Every so often, Mikhailis spotted flickers of runic wards glowing faintly on doorframes—makeshift protections that looked a bit sloppy compared to the official Technomancer seals in richer areas.

Vyrelda cleared her throat softly. "It's even worse here than last time," she said under her breath, her voice nearly lost in the wagon's steady creaks.

He nodded. "The hush is heavier." He drummed his fingers against his knee, scanning the shapes moving in the fog. They're frightened, or at least wary. The Technomancers must've cracked down after the ruin fiasco.

<Confirmed. Heightened patrols reported in all lower districts, culminating in up to 65% more presence than standard.>

Mikhailis bit back a wry grin at Rodion's predictable thoroughness. So my messing around with ancient systems has real consequences. Who would've thought.

"Stay alert," Vyrelda warned, though she likely knew he never truly let his guard drop. He offered her a casual salute, which only deepened her scowl.

The caravan driver veered right, taking a shortcut behind a row of half-collapsed storage sheds. Mikhailis felt the wagon lurch, leaning precariously as the ground sloped. The animals struggled briefly before regaining footing, and the driver grumbled a curse.

That was when Mikhailis felt it: the faint prickle at the back of his neck. The intangible sense of being watched. A presence that wasn't quite visible, but there all the same. He tightened his jaw, forcing himself not to react outwardly.

We're being tracked.

He shot a sideways glance at Vyrelda. By the quick narrowing of her eyes, she felt it too. But she didn't speak, merely straightened, scanning the alleyway behind them.

At the next turn, the caravan slowed. The driver hopped down from his seat to check on something near the wheel. Mikhailis took the moment of pause to lean out slightly, pretending to stretch his back.

That was when he saw the figure.

Standing half-concealed behind a broken barrel near the corner, swathed in a cloak that barely moved in the swirling mist. Their posture too still, too poised. And even from this distance, Mikhailis caught the reflective gleam of something metallic—a lens or a monocle, perhaps—watching them.

He felt his heart drum a few beats faster. Clever. Whoever it was had chosen a spot just outside the typical line of sight. If Mikhailis weren't so used to scanning every corner, he might've missed them.

He eased back into the wagon, making no sign that he'd noticed. Vyrelda observed him, one brow raised in silent question. He gave her a slight nod, as if to say, Yes, we have a tail.

She exhaled quietly, her sword hand tensing, but they both knew they couldn't just jump off and chase the spy. The city was on high alert, and a direct confrontation could bring a dozen enforcers down on them in seconds.

The caravan jerked into motion again. Mikhailis felt the tension coil in his gut. He needed a plan.

<Highly advised to maintain current course. Immediate confrontation would be disadvantageous.>

Rodion's input matched his own instincts. Fight or flight? Right now, flight seemed better.

As they approached a crossroad, the wagon master called out that he'd be offloading part of his cargo at the next stop. Mikhailis recognized the area—close to a shady cluster of shops rumored to be tied to the black market. Perfect for disappearing if needed.

Vyrelda softly tapped his shoulder. He nodded. The moment the wagon slowed near a rundown storehouse, they slid off, blending into the meager crowd of workers hauling crates. The merchant gave them a cursory glance but didn't question their departure; they'd paid enough to ensure no further curiosity.

The mist was thicker here, swirling in lazy eddies around their ankles. The meager lampposts flickered feebly, casting shifting shadows across the damp cobblestone. Distantly, Mikhailis caught snatches of hushed voices from a nearby alley—people bargaining, maybe, or exchanging information in low murmurs. The city felt alive in its tension, every movement carrying the weight of caution.

They pressed on, heading for the noble district's outskirts. Their path took them past boarded-up apothecaries and silent corners where only stray cats prowled. More than once, they glimpsed the silhouette of an enforcer patrol or a mechanical sentinel scanning for arcane signatures, each time forcing them to duck behind a stall or slip into an alleyway.

Eventually, they reached a small square that had once been a bustling marketplace. Now it stood eerily still, the stalls abandoned, merchandise removed or looted. Broken chairs and torn awnings littered the ground. The quiet was suffocating. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire

In that emptiness, a lone vendor stood behind a makeshift stall, a ragged cloth canopy overhead. They arranged an array of items on a splintered table—half-rotten produce, battered curiosities, and small pouches of who-knows-what. At first glance, they seemed like just another desperate soul trying to make a living despite the lockdown.

But Mikhailis felt a prickling sense of familiarity. The vendor's posture was too assured for someone in such a precarious position. Their movements too deliberate.

He and Vyrelda moved closer, feigning curiosity. The vendor barely looked up, continuing to fuss with the wares.

Mikhailis opened his mouth to greet them when the vendor's hand flickered in a quick gesture: a coded sign. He recognized it instantly—a silent language used by some of the deeper black-market circles. The movements spelled out a single directive: Take this.

Before he could react, the vendor discreetly slid a small slip of parchment across the table, hidden beneath a tattered cloth. Mikhailis, with a practiced casualness, palmed it. The vendor never once met his eyes. They just kept mumbling about overpriced grains and moldy fruits, an act so convincing an average bystander wouldn't notice a thing.

Then the vendor spoke softly, voice just loud enough for Mikhailis to catch. "Watch your step. The Crownless House isn't the only faction watching."

He froze. So the rumors were true: multiple powers played this game. He'd already known it, but hearing it confirmed by a random informant gave it more weight. The vendor abruptly shifted to normal chatter, complaining about the cost of wheat or some other mundane topic, effectively closing the conversation.

Vyrelda didn't move, but her stance told him she'd heard every word. She shot him a look that said, We need to keep moving.

He agreed with a slight tilt of his head. They backed away from the stall as though uninterested in the goods, weaving through the scattered debris. Overhead, the clouded sky blocked any trace of sunlight, leaving the square cloaked in a twilight gloom.

Then came the clang of heavy metallic steps. Two Technomancer enforcers entered the far side of the square, each wearing the distinctive obsidian armor that glowed faintly with embedded runes. Between them, a pair of mist-hunting sentinels glided, spindly legs clicking softly on the cobblestone. Their glasslike eyes scanned the haze, detecting anomalies, looking for something—or someone.

Vyrelda tensed, already glancing around for cover. Mikhailis spotted an old alchemist's shop with a faded sign depicting a mortar and pestle. The door hung half ajar, an amber glow flickering within.

He made a quick decision, grabbing Vyrelda's wrist and pulling her that way. She didn't protest, merely following his lead. The moment they slipped inside, a pungent smell of herbs and stale smoke greeted them. Rows of dusty shelves lined the walls, filled with jars of questionable content. At the counter stood a withered old man, his narrow gaze snapping up to meet them.

"Customers?" he asked in a scratchy voice, tone bordering on annoyance.

"We just need a place to wait out the patrol," Mikhailis said, offering a few coins. "Won't be long."

The alchemist eyed the money, then the pair of them, but finally jerked his head toward a cramped corner, half-lost in shadows. "Don't cause trouble."

Vyrelda slid silently behind a shelf, scanning for windows or alternate exits. Mikhailis leaned against a rickety table, glancing through a grimy window at the street outside. The mechanical sentinels hovered, scanning the area with those eerie, rotating lenses. He held his breath, hoping they wouldn't pick up on any magical trace from him or Vyrelda.

<Detecting a high-intensity tracker pulse. Estimated range: 40 meters. They are combing the area methodically.>

Rodion's calm statement made Mikhailis's pulse quicken. So they're determined. He cast a sideways glance at Vyrelda, who had one hand on the hilt of her sword, ready to fight if cornered. But that wouldn't help if the entire city's reinforcements converged.

The hiss of mechanical parts drew closer, then receded as the sentinels moved on, scanning another block. Mikhailis allowed himself a quiet exhale.

He turned to Vyrelda. "I'd say we have a fan club."

Her lips twitched in the faintest of grim smiles. "Too bad we don't do autographs."

Mikhailis chuckled, even as tension coiled in his muscles. We're pushing our luck, but we can't let them corner us.

A dull clang from outside signaled the enforcers' departure, or at least that they'd moved far enough away for the moment. The old alchemist cast them a sour look, as if regretting letting them in. Mikhailis flashed him a brief, apologetic nod, then gestured for Vyrelda to follow him back onto the street. They couldn't stay here long; the city was no safer inside a shop than outside if the Technomancers decided to tear the place apart.

They slipped out quietly, the mist swallowing their forms once more.

A block or so away, Mikhailis led Vyrelda through winding alleys that smelled of rotten produce and stale rainwater. His mind churned over the coded note from the street vendor: Another faction. Not the Crownless House, not the Technomancers. Then who?

He felt the corners of his mouth tighten. This was getting complicated, but complicated was half the fun.

Finally, they stepped onto a broader street leading toward the noble district's gates. Ornate lampposts lined the path, though their light was feeble against the thickening fog. The gloom gave the decorative arches and manicured hedges an eerie silhouette, as if mocking the district's attempt at refinement.

Vyrelda paused, scanning the gloom. "We need to hurry," she said under her breath. "They're closing in behind us."

He nodded, heart pounding just a bit faster. "Then let's not keep our friends waiting."

A signal.