11 Discovered
(Ella's Pov)
"Let's go!" I hurriedly said to Finn. "I've memorized the formula. Let's go!"
"Okay. Run!" Finn crouched down and put me on his back. With clean and efficient movements, he flipped out the window and quickly escaped down the outer wall.
Unexpectedly, torches were already lit below. Someone had discovered us!
"Up there!"
"Catch them!"
Finn, carrying me on his back, jumped directly down: "Cover your face!"
I saw gray wolf fur emerge from Finn's body. His frame grew larger. His limbs became even more slender and powerful. The clothes on his body were torn apart. His fluffy tail was about to be exposed.
"No, you'll be discovered!" I immediately hugged his neck tight and nervously said close to his ear.
Finn froze: "They're about to catch up!"
I lay on his back, forcing myself to calm down: "Don't transform in the city. Transform after we get out."
After saying that, I threw a bottle of Smog Potion behind us. Thick smoke instantly swallowed the alley entrance. The second bottle of Slick Potion that immediately followed exploded into a slippery oily sheen on the ground. The pursuing soldiers' footsteps immediately became chaotic.
"Now's the time, run!" I used my cloak to cover both of us and quickly escaped amid the shouting.
Finn laughed excitedly: "Oh my Ella, you always surprise me!"
Under the cover of the smoke, Finn quickly left Thornhaven with me. Just when I thought we'd escaped disaster, we unluckily ran into a team of knights returning from outside.
"Catch them!" The knights behind shouted.
More and more knights appeared. We were about to be caught.
"I'll transform in a moment to block them. You run first." Finn suddenly said.
I was stunned: "No!"
Finn wanted to completely transform to attract the knights' attention, but Finn was still young. I worried that once he completely transformed, he'd lose control.
Moreover, werewolves were already few in number. Once the knights discovered he was a werewolf, it would be easy to expose his identity.
"No, you can't transform!" My attitude was very firm. "Either you leave me behind. I'm a pharmacist anyway. Even if I'm caught, it doesn't matter."
Finn refused my suggestion: "How could I abandon you."
We'd long since run out of Thornhaven, but the pursuing troops behind had no intention of letting us go.
A black shadow suddenly fell from the night sky. Finn reflexively held me and rolled to the side. A suddenly appearing icy wind blade instantly cut off the knights' pursuit route.
Leaves and black mist churned together. I suddenly opened my eyes wide.
"How did you get here?!"
The person before me wore a hood. I couldn't see his build or appearance clearly, but I knew—he was Kyle.
Kyle didn't even look at Finn. He directly reached out and pulled me into his arms.
Finn immediately bristled: "Hey! Let go..."
I immediately explained: "It's okay, he came to save us. Let's split up. Finn, you go first!"
"What?" Finn grabbed Kyle's arm and narrowed his eyes, his gaze wary. "Who are you?"
Kyle snorted coldly without speaking. I hurriedly patted Finn's hand: "Now's not the time to explain. Go quickly! Don't worry, he's not a bad person. See you at home."
Under my gaze, Finn finally let go. Wrapped in the cloak I gave him, he turned and fled.
Kyle held me and leaped into the darkness. His speed was very fast. Hiding in his arms, I finally let out a long breath. My heart that had been tense for so long relaxed.
Strange, whenever I'm by Kyle's side, I always feel at ease.
The sound of knights chasing constantly came from behind. Incomprehensible incantations flowed from Kyle's lips.
The surrounding forest suddenly began to change. Vines blocked the road. Wind scattered all footprints. Even our scent quickly disappeared. The knights behind gradually lost their direction.
"Where are they?!"
"They were just here!"
"Damn it, who are these people!"
The voices grew more and more distant, then disappeared completely.
I hid in Kyle's arms. Feeling him stop, I poked my head out to look: "They're gone! Kyle, how did you do that!"
Kyle curved his lips, his gaze examining: "I should be asking you that. So many knights chasing you two—what did you do?"
"I didn't do anything..." I guiltily touched my nose.
Kyle looked at me and shook his head: "I'm not blaming you for going to the library. I just don't understand why you asked that unreliable werewolf to go with you. If you wanted to break into the library at night, I would have been a better choice, wouldn't I?"
"What?" I opened my eyes wide. "You, you'd be willing to go with me?"
Kyle looked down at me. Moonlight fell into those emerald eyes.
"I promised I would protect you."
My heart suddenly gave a light jump.
"Um..." I opened my mouth somewhat uncomfortably in a small voice. "How did you know I was here?"
Kyle narrowed his eyes: "Of course because of the contract. What else did you think?"
"Contract?"
"Contractors can sense each other."
"Then why can't I sense you?"
"You'll have to ask yourself that." Kyle walked ahead of me. "We're almost back."
Is the contract really that magical? I couldn't figure it out and followed behind Kyle.
"I won't cause you to be exposed, will I?"
"Don't worry. The spells I know are far more powerful than you imagine."
"Then are you hurt?"
"You're so noisy."
"I'm concerned about you!"
...
When Kyle brought me home, the sun hadn't risen yet.
The town streets were quiet. Morning mist floated between the stone-paved roads. Only the bakery in the distance had a faint warm yellow light.
Finn was sitting at my doorstep. Hearing footsteps, he immediately stood up.
"Ella!" He quickly ran over, first checking me up and down. Only after confirming I wasn't hurt did he breathe a sigh of relief.
"You finally made it back."
After saying that, his gaze fell on Kyle.
Kyle had long since put on his hood. Most of his face was hidden in shadow, revealing only his coldly defined chin.
Finn sized up Kyle, his tone unfriendly as he asked: "Who are you?"
Kyle sneered and didn't speak.
My heart tightened. Finn had already discovered Kyle, but I absolutely couldn't let others know Kyle's identity.
"Finn, there's something I haven't had time to tell you." I bit the bullet and spoke. "This is my older brother. His name is Kyle."
When I called out this name, Kyle had no reaction. I knew then that Kyle wasn't his real name. Although my guess was confirmed, I wasn't happy about it.
Finn looked completely confused: "Since when do you have a brother?"
"My relative's child, my cousin." I continued making things up.
Finn was silent for two seconds.
"Ella."
"Hmm?"
"I remember you don't know who your parents are."
"And everyone in town used to know you always lived with that teacher." Finn crossed his arms. "How come a cousin suddenly pops up now?"