Chapter 68

My breath caught in my throat as Allen's eyes darkened, his stance shifting to one of readiness. The air in the store grew even tenser, like a taut string on the verge of snapping. The twins sensed the danger, too, their small hands clutching at my cloak, their eyes wide with fright.

"What's the meaning of this?" Allen demanded, his voice robust despite the tense situation. "What do you want from us?"

The leader of the rogues, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, sneered. "Justice, for one. Retribution, for another." He took a deliberate step closer, his followers mirroring his movements.

Allen drew a deep breath. "These are innocent children. Leave them out of your vendetta."

"Innocent?" the rogue hissed, his eyes gleaming with a malicious light. "Does innocence matter when our lives were torn apart by the very man you serve?"

The tension was palpable, the storm outside forgotten amidst the brewing conflict within the store. I could feel the weight of each heartbeat, a drum