It took Crow longer than usual to make the trip to Myrefall. Though he had healed quite a bit over the last few days, his more severe injuries still pained him enough to slow his pace slightly. In addition to that, he also moved more cautiously so he could keep watch for knights. He didn’t know if Layth would sent out patrols so late at night, but he didn’t want to take any chances while he was in no condition to defend himself.

He shuddered to think what would happen if he got caught again. The last time had been unpleasant enough. If Layth found him again, he would probably just kill him on the spot. So, not wanting to risk losing his life, the thief traveled especially carefully through the woods that night, taking advantage of the darkness provided by the cloud cover.

When he got to Myrefall, his caution was replaced with excitement at the thought of seeing Penelope again. After they had made up during their last meeting and she had helped him escape from the knights at her camp, he felt like they were getting along quite well again.

By this point, he had given up on forcing himself to move on from her. It obviously wasn’t working, and it was much more enjoyable to just relax and be with her in the moment without trying to put distance between them. Of course, he had no intention of trying to win her back, since she was with Gavin, a nobleman who suited her better than a petty thief ever could. He just wanted her friendship back, since it was the next best thing he could get. He knew it would probably make it harder for him when they would inevitably part ways after the war, but he didn’t care anymore. He intended to make the most of his time with her while she was still in the outer villages.

When he reached the tavern, Crow casted one final look around to double check that there were no knights nearby before he stepped inside. His gaze swept over the room until he spotted Penelope at one of the tables. Lowering his hood, he greeted her with a friendly smile as he made his way over to her and took a seat on the other side of the table.

Suddenly, the memory of his impulsive gesture at the knights’ camp resurfaced in his mind, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, wondering if she remembered it too. Not wanting to talk about it when they were finally getting along so well, he quickly brought up a different subject.

“Did any of the other knights see you help me when I escaped?” he asked with a concerned expression. “I hope they didn’t give you any trouble.”