A hint of blood flashed across Ethemon's blue eyes—whether due to the lighting or not, eyes that usually resembled blue gems now looked as deep as a dark ocean, concealing something inscrutable. He stepped forward, initially attempting a friendly greeting, but the sudden pressure on his feet halted his advance. Looking down, he saw thick vines silently and securely wrapping around his ankles, rendering him unable to move an inch.
Gesturing for his companions behind him to stay calm, Ethemon shrugged with a faint smile. "Just for once, can't we just say hello like normal people? I saved your soldiers, and this is how you thank me?"
"Kindness is often a trap." The no-longer-young elf remained expressionless. Though her face bore wrinkles, one could still faintly glimpse her heroic bearing from years past. Her sharp gaze swept over Ethemon and his party, after which she pulled a transparent vial from her pocket. Inside, a dark mind flayer tadpole was writhing with unusual vigor, as if responding to companions close by. "And this is the best proof."
Chapter 81