I, the slave boy, awaken with the most potent seed!!

Cassandra was growing increasingly nervous as they walked. The narrow streets of the wasteland were alive with noise—vendors calling out their wares, clinking of makeshift tools, and distant arguments blending into the ambient chaos.

But amidst all that, her sharp instincts were tuned to one thing: the soft, steady footfalls behind them.

She slowed her pace slightly, glancing over her shoulder as inconspicuously as possible. There he was. The same man, sticking just close enough to follow but far enough to avoid suspicion. Cassandra's eyes narrowed, and she turned forward again, leaning closer to Mara.

"Walk faster," she said under her breath, her voice steady but urgent. "Not too fast. We can't let him know we've noticed."

Mara's steps quickened slightly, though her shoulders stiffened. "What does he want?" she whispered back.

"I don't know," Cassandra murmured. "But I doubt it's for a friendly chat."

Another glance behind them revealed a second figure. Cassandra's stomach twisted in recognition—it was the vendor from the Scrapyard. His voice had trailed off when he'd seen the slime on Mara's hand, and now here he was, shadowing them alongside the first man. 'This is bad,' Cassandra thought. 'Two of them, and they've teamed up. They don't mean good.'

Her mind raced through their options. If they kept moving in the open, the stalkers might close in, but turning to confront them directly was too risky. The junction ahead caught her eye, a split in the street that led to narrower, more secluded alleys. She made her decision.

"When we reach that junction," Cassandra said, her voice low but firm, "we're splitting up."

Mara blinked in surprise. "Splitting up? Are you serious?"

"It's the best way to lose them," Cassandra explained, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll drop a locator slime—my own. It'll help me find you. Just don't go too far, or it might not work."

Mara hesitated, biting her lip. "Are you sure about this?"

Cassandra nodded. "Yes. But you need to be sharp, Mara. Watch your surroundings. Don't trust anyone."

They reached the junction, and Cassandra moved closer, placing a small, shimmering green slime she formed into Mara's palm, her voice soft but urgent. "Keep this with you. I'll find you."

Mara nodded. "Be careful."

"You too," Cassandra said, her eyes scanning the street ahead. "Now go."

With that, they parted. Cassandra veered left, her strides quick but measured. Mara took the right path, her head held high, though her heart was pounding in her chest.

As they rounded the turn, their stalkers realized their cover had been blown. There was no point in holding back anymore—they needed to act quickly.

Without a word, they split up, each pursuing their target with relentless focus.

******

Cassandra didn't look back. She could hear the hurried shuffle of footsteps behind her, the man now quickening his pace as he realized she was alone. Her pulse quickened, but she kept her breathing steady, her mind calculating her next move.

The alley curved sharply to the left, and she took the turn without hesitation. As soon as she rounded the corner, she broke into a sprint, her boots pounding against the uneven ground. The noise of the market faded behind her, replaced by the sound of her own footsteps and the closer, heavier ones of her pursuer.

'He's too close,' she thought, her eyes darting around for an escape. A tall fence loomed ahead, its metal frame covered in jagged patches of rust. Perfect.

Cassandra stretched out her hand, summoning a slime with visible effort. The process wasn't without its struggles, but she managed.

She pushed the slime against the ground, using its force to propel herself over the wall. She landed on the other side in a crouch, her hands skimming the dusty ground as she steadied herself.

The man skidded to a stop on the other side, cursing loudly. "Shite, fuck this slut." He quickly rushed towards the other side to grab her.

Cassandra didn't wait to see what he would do next. She slipped on the overall she'd been carrying, pulling the hood low over her face. She blended into the sparse crowd on this side of the fence, her stride casual, her head down.

Behind her, she could hear the man barking questions at anyone who would listen. "Brown skin, about this tall," he said, gesturing with his hands. "Did you see her? She just jumped the fence!"

The responses were a mix of shrugs and mumbled negatives. Cassandra smiled faintly to herself. The disguise had worked. She kept moving, her pace unhurried but purposeful. One down, she thought. Now to find Mara.

*****

Mara's breath came in short bursts as she walked briskly down her chosen path. She'd slipped on the overall as soon as she turned the corner, pulling the hood over her head. Her stalker wasn't far behind—she could feel his presence, like a predator stalking its prey.

Her eyes darted to the side streets, searching for a place to hide, but nothing seemed safe. 'Think, Mara, think!' she urged herself. Her fingers brushed against the green slime Cassandra had given her, its faint warmth grounding her amidst the chaos in her mind.

The narrow alley opened into a busier street, and Mara took advantage of the crowd, weaving between groups of people. Her stalker followed, his eyes locked on her. She could hear his muttered curses as he pushed past a cluster of merchants.

Then she saw her opportunity. A frail-looking woman walking up ahead, puffing lazily on a pipe. Without breaking stride, she waited till they took another turn, then Mara pulled the overall off and handed it over the woman. "Here," she said quickly. "It's yours, for the cold."

The woman looked up, startled, but took the garment without question. Mara ducked into the crowd, keeping low as she slipped away.

Her stalker, meanwhile, didn't see the exchange so he rushed toward the old woman. His blade gleamed in the dim light as he grabbed the figure by the shoulder and spun her around.

"What the—" The old woman glared at him, her pipe dangling from her lips. "What do you think you're doing, you lunatic?"

The man's eyes widened in shock. "I—I thought—" He stammered, his blade lowering as he realized his mistake. "Where did you get this?"

The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "A nice young lady gave it to me, not that it's any of your business."

"Which way did she go?" the man demanded.

The woman's expression turned smug. "Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell the likes of you."

The man's face twisted in frustration, but the murmurs of onlookers warned him not to push further. He cursed under his breath and turned away, scanning the crowd for any sign of Mara. But she was long gone.

******

Mara kept moving, her pace steady but cautious. Her heart was pounding, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. 'That was too close,' she thought, her fingers tightening around the slime in her pocket.

The street grew quieter as she moved farther from the market. The noise of vendors and hagglers faded, replaced by the occasional clatter of loose debris. She glanced over her shoulder, relieved to see no sign of her pursuer.

Still, she didn't let her guard down. Her eyes scanned the shadows, her steps light and deliberate. 'Cassandra will find me,' she reminded herself. 'I just have to stay sharp.'

She rounded another corner, her thoughts racing as she considered their next move. 'Why are they following us? Do they know about Zafron? Or is it something else?'

As she passed a crumbling wall, a hand suddenly clamped down on her shoulder.

"Let's keep moving..."