The carriage came to an abrupt stop.
Heavy.
Silence.
Voices could be heard outside.
Guards.
The faint clink of their armor.
Max didn't move.
He just listened.
Lamia stepped down from the carriage.
Her voice… calm.
Confident.
"Good morning."
Pause.
"We're the town's butchers."
Brief silence.
"We brought this week's fresh meat."
A guard responded.
Dry.
"Open the carriage."
Inside, the atmosphere shifted.
Tension.
No one spoke.
Then Sophie moved.
Fast.
She pulled out small seals.
Paper.
Marked with symbols.
She placed them.
One by one.
On each member's forehead.
Max felt a faint tingling.
"Optical illusion."
Sophie whispered.
"We can only see each other."
Pause.
"They can't see us, but they can still hear or touch us."
Max nodded.
Slowly.
Outside, the knights' footsteps approached the door.
The imps opened the carriage.
Light.
The guards looked inside.
Only silence.
One frowned.
"…Smells weird."
