“Wait—” Jaycee recoiled. “Who is that man?”

“Someone I really don’t want to encounter at the moment.” Alec’s response left him with more questions than answers. Expecting anything different would be foolish. By now, he should have realized this.

Jaycee chanced a glimpse over his shoulder, only to discover the archer approaching a table on the other side. The window beside him, sealed shut, barred any light from seeping in. The patrons, upon noticing him, quickly rose and gestured towards the vacant chair, offering their place. After exchanging looks, the previously boisterous group hurried out of the bar. Left behind was the blonde archer, sitting with hands folded, his bow lying on the table.

“Let’s leave before he notices us.” Alec rose to his feet and Jaycee followed.

To leave, they would need to walk past him. On closer inspection, they noticed that the man had his eyes shut, with blonde locks falling over his closed eyelids. Alec moved on without stopping or glancing in his direction.

Just when he assumed they were home free, a deep voice called out from behind them.

“Alec.”

He halted.

“There’s no sneaking by you,” Alec said, his voice carrying a familiar but condescending edge, as though he were hiding some deeper understanding in his words. “You have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a dog. You don’t miss a thing.”

The man narrowed his eyes. “Why are you here? We had an agreement, and it seems you’ve failed to uphold your part. I’m not surprised.” At last, the archer turned his attention to Jaycee. “And who might this be?”

“None of your business,” Alec stated, positioning himself protectively in front of Jaycee, his arm extended, the long red sleeves draping over him like a blanket.

“Ah, wait, is he—” He never got to finish his sentence because Alec’s fan was suddenly only inches from the archer’s face. They locked eyes in a standoff. Jaycee couldn’t decide who was more intimidating, but he knew that facing either alone would be disastrous.

“Nice to see you again, Alessio.” Alec’s weapon remained unmoving, an implicit threat hanging in the air. “Jaycee, let’s go.”

His companion cast one last look at Alessio. Despite Alec’s fan being within striking distance, Alessio’s gaze remained steady. Jaycee sensed the same aura from him that he did from Alec: danger. What the hell was going on?

“See you soon, dear friend,” whispered Alessio, his last words barely caressing his ears.

With nothing more to say, they weaved between the tables and around to the back, behind the counter, and through a massive steel door. The bartender caught their gaze yet remained still, offering no resistance. The door clanged closed behind them. A hallway brought them outside, and a blast of dust whipped Jaycee in the face, burning his lungs. A cough rose from his throat as his eyes watered.

Behind the bar, the area opened up into more homes, with a road that stretched further inward. Alec guided them along the path briskly, decelerating only as they encountered streets bustling with families. They stopped momentarily at a food stall, where the scent of grilled meat overwhelmed him.

A plump, elderly woman with her hair in a bun gestured animatedly, beckoning passersby to peruse her offerings. Cuts of sizzling meat surrounded the stand, and it was only then that Jaycee realized his own hunger.

While Alec engaged the woman with his charm, Jaycee surveyed the vicinity. To the best of his knowledge, Alessio hadn’t pursued them, nor had he sent anyone else to. Given that they had apprehended Leon, monitoring them was probably pointless.

He stole a brief glance at Alec, studying his smile and unworried expression. He was either plotting something, or he was simply too nonchalant for his own good.

Lost in his thoughts, Jaycee jerked back as a skewer of cooked, smoky food appeared before him. His stomach rumbled as the aroma of spices wafted over. It only took one bite for him to devour the rest voraciously, like a famished beast that hadn’t eaten in days. The prison meals paled in comparison.

“Now that Alessio knows we’re here, it’s time for Plan B.”

Jaycee watched Alec as he discreetly covered his mouth with his sleeve while sampling his snack. His manner of eating, considerate of those around him, suggested a background of wealth.

“We have one?” Jaycee was unaware of any plan. He wasn’t involved in their decision-making process, and it likely wouldn’t have mattered if he were. Still, he believed things might go more smoothly if they informed him of their plans.

“First, we need to locate Kyla. If she ran into Alessio, she’ll know the next steps,” Alec said. He took another bite of his snack before they set off, discarding the stick without a second thought.

Moments later, they paused once more. In front of them, a building wide building stretched the length of the block. The streets were teeming with individuals flowing in and out of the structure, engaging in conversations and laughter. Large grins adorned many faces, while fatigue and distress marked others.

“Hey, long time no see!” Jaycee felt a light touch on his shoulders as an arm was casually slung over him. His curiosity subsided when he glimpsed Kyla’s familiar features from the corner of his eye. “Hey, Boss.”

Alec frowned. “Why am I not the first person you greet? Did you forget who raised you?”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” The pressure on him disappeared. “Are we going in or not? I was really hoping it would turn out this way. You know I have the best luck, right?”

Jaycee, perplexed as always with their coded phrases, peered at the enormous sign hanging over the entrance. The name ‘Rusticus Casino’ in large, bold letters splayed out. “We’re going to gamble?”

“Duh. Why else would we come to a casino?” Her comments were matter-of-fact, and Jaycee was starting to believe he was turning insane.

What did gambling have to do with finding Leon?

Jaycee opened and closed his mouth, mimicking a fish gasping for air. What should he do now? The relentless moving had taken its toll, leaving him yearning for nothing more than to snuggle into a warm bed and drift to sleep.

“This is the only place in Rusticus where you can make a fortune,” Kyla declared, seizing Jaycee’s hand and then Alec’s with her other. “Alright, let’s show these losers who’s in charge!”

Alec extricated himself from her grasp and took a step back. “I won’t be joining you inside. There’s something I need to do. I’ll catch up with you all shortly. Try not to stir up too much trouble in my absence, brat. And remember our purpose for being here.”

She clicked her tongue. “I know, I know. And don’t worry, your man is safe with me.”

“Kyla—”

“Okay, we’re leaving now! Bye!”

She left no more room for comment as he pulled him along, her small hands firmly grasping his own.

The cryptic remarks between the two made it clear to Jaycee that he was merely a pawn in their game, simply a means to an end. As they entered, with Alec’s gaze fixed on them from behind, Jaycee reminded himself of that fact.