Caitlyn's POV
After confirming that Fandom had left, Yone slowly walked back. I didn't know why Yone obscured my trail just now, but at the moment, I was still impatient to get Leona out of there.
Because there was been too long a delay since I arrived, I was worried that Talon, who was meeting me outside, might not be able to wait to make any risky moves.
"Thank you, Yone, but if that's what it takes to get me out of Talon's way, I'm afraid I'm not in a position to comply," I said unassumingly as I stood in front of Yone while carefully watching his reaction.
"That won't be necessary; I just don't want Talon to lose its mind because of your stupidity," Yone remarked with a glance to the side, appearing a little disdainful.
Seeing this reaction from Yone, I also decided not to pay any more attention to him and prepared to take Leona with me for another exodus.
But just as I grabbed Leona's wrist, Yone twisted his head, his expression appearing somewhat surprised. "You don't really think Fandom is that stupid?"
"What do you mean?" My heart sank, instantly on alert.
"If you're still planning to take this girl out with you, you're likely to be intercepted by Fandom as soon as you leave here," Yone warned, his brows furrowing together, and it didn't seem like he was deliberately making up a lie to scare me.
"Then I'm going to try," I declared, looking at the haggard-looking Leona, and with a pounding heart, I grasped her hand and rose to my feet.
"Caitlyn... no!" Sensing my intention, Leona stood still and weakly struggled twice.
"Leona, don't worry. I'll get you out of here. There's someone out there to meet us. As long as we escape from here, we'll be free in no time..."
"No, Caitlyn. I know their methods. They will never let us out of here so easily," Leona interjected, shaking her head, her wrist firmly held in my hand.
"Seriously, I never dreamed you'd show up here, and as you once said, you've truly become a formidable warrior. I'm genuinely happy to see you as you are now."
Leona's pale face brightened with a smile, yet her words instantly brought a slight moisture to my eyes.
"Leona, you don't need to say it; I'll find a way to get you out of here."
I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand and clasped Leona's hand once more.
"Caitlyn, calm down. In the beginning, your father and I were held in different places. Today, you managed to break in so easily; most likely, they allowed it intentionally. Return while the situation is still manageable and come back after you've devised a foolproof strategy. I believe in you."
Leona's eyes brimmed with determination as she nodded gently at me.
"This girl has a good grasp of the situation," Yone, who stood beside me, remarked softly.
"Leona, don't worry. When we meet again, I'll definitely bring you back unharmed," I assured her.
Upon hearing Leona's words, I relented. I took a deep breath, my heart sinking heavily, and turned away without glancing at Leona again. I feared that if I looked at her once more, I wouldn't have the courage to leave.
Though I knew leaving now was the wisest choice, at this moment, I couldn't shake the feeling of cowardice for abandoning my friend.
After bidding farewell to Leona, I hastened toward the window through which I had entered earlier. As for Yone, I was unsure of his plans, but he kept following closely behind me without hesitation.
As the alley widened, I heard a cacophony of noises echoing from outside and caught a faint whiff of burning.
"Go another way," Yone suddenly advised from behind me, just as I puzzled over the situation.
I complied with his instructions and headed toward another tunnel, just as a pair of soldiers rushed past from the direction I had previously taken.
"Extinguish the fire!" they shouted.
At that moment, I heard a distant, gurgling cry from the outskirts of the abandoned hospital. Peering out the window, I witnessed flames engulfing the sky as they spread rapidly.
I was afraid this is all Talon's tactic. After I went in and didn't come out for so long, he would have to make some noise from somewhere else to attract the attention of the guards here.
Thinking of this, I no longer hesitated. I followed the direction Yone pointed out to find a gap, and then slammed into it.
Rumble!
Accompanied by a loud explosion, I successfully escaped from that abandoned hospital. Yone stood at a high place and spared me a glance before disappearing into the shadows again. Talon noticed my trail first, then quickly rushed over.
"Are you okay? Why did you take so long?" Talon looked me up and down with worry in his eyes. "Where's Leona? Why didn't she come out with you?"
Before I could say anything, Bard squeezed in impatiently.
"The information was wrong. My father wasn't even in there. Leona was the only one there, and Fandom arrived just as I was about to take her away."
Talon's face tightened when he heard Fandom's name.
"It was Yone. He saved me." I hesitated but told the truth. Talon froze, his eyes becoming a little complicated.
"Why was he there?"
"I'm not sure, but he helped me hide the trail and pointed out the real exit at the end, so I was able to come out without any problems. However, Leona remained in the jail, and Fandom deliberately tried to lure us there." As I finished, sadness washed over us. I glanced at Bard, who looked despondent, his inner wolf whimpering softly.
"Did Yone tell you anything about it?" Talon pursed his lips, seeming to weigh a decision.
I thought for a moment but eventually shook my head softly. "Nothing. He was just curious about your trail."
"Well, that's good."
Talon nodded, but I could sense his obvious relief.
"In that case, the plan to rescue Leona and your father will require more thorough preparation on our part. Apparently, dealing with Fandom is going to be harder than we thought. It's getting late; let's go back and rest early."
After ensuring the safety of his surroundings, Talon stood up and patted the still somewhat terrified werewolf soldier. After all, he was the one who relayed the earlier information, and now he bore an undeniable responsibility for such a significant deviation.
However, Talon's words had undoubtedly eased his nervousness, prompting a grateful nod from him.
As I glanced at Talon's back, I vaguely sensed something unusual. It seemed that when mentioning Yone, he became extraordinarily cold, almost as if he were talking about a stranger.
Moreover, when he inquired about what Yone said to me just now, Talon's reaction was extremely peculiar.
It was all too strange!