Three Alpha Bikers Wants An Open Marriage

Chapter 108: Chapter 108

Cane’s POV

The air around the Tithers territory always feels wrong.

The moment we get close enough to see the outer marshlands again, that strange feeling returns immediately.

The ground here is wet and dark and the smell of the marsh water is strong. I can hear insects buzzing everywhere and the thick mud pulls slightly at my boots with every step I take.

Bane is walking a few steps ahead of me.

His movements are quiet and controlled like he knows exactly where he is going.

That alone makes me watch him more carefully.

This place is not somewhere people casually walk through unless they know it well.

And Bane clearly does.

The outline of the Tithers town slowly comes into view.

The crooked houses are built on raised platforms above the swampy ground and small bridges connect them across the muddy water.

Even from this distance I can see shadows moving between the buildings.

Tithers.

Disgusting creatures.

They always thrive in places like this where the ground is wet and the air smells rotten.

Bane slows down his steps slightly and glances back at me.

"It stays near the marsh waters," he says calmly. "Did Leslie tell you that?"

I raise an eyebrow at him immediately."How do you know Leslie?" I ask.

The question leaves my mouth before I even think about it.

Leslie is obsidian veil healer.

Not many outsiders even know her name.

Bane smiles slightly. free𝑤ebnovel.com

But he does not answer immediately.

Instead he suddenly stops walking and turns around to face me.

"There are certain things you will come to understand very soon," he says.

I stare at him for a second.

Then I sigh.

Right now I do not have the patience to deal with riddles.

Summer’s life is on the line.

So I simply ignore his statement.

We continue walking again.

The closer we get to the town the stronger the smell of marsh water becomes.

After a few more minutes I stop walking.

Bane notices immediately and turns to look at me.

I reach into the inside pocket of my coat and pull out a small wrapped cloth.

Inside the cloth is a small crystal container filled with a dark powder.

I open it carefully.

Then I bring it close to my nose and inhale.

The powder burns slightly as it enters my nose but I ignore the sensation.

After a second I close the container again.

Then I stretch my hand toward Bane."Here."

He looks at the container with curiosity."What is that?" he asks.

"Something Leslie gave me," I reply. "A scent suppressant."

Bane’s eyebrows rise slightly."A suppressant?" he repeats.

I nod in response "Yes."

He takes the container and looks at it carefully.

Then he glances toward the Tithers town again.

"They will notice if we have no scent," he says.

"If we enter their territory completely scentless it will make them suspicious."

I shake my head."This suppressant is different."

Bane looks back at me."How?"

"It does not erase our scent," I explain. "It copies the smell of the environment around us."

He stares at me with interest now.

"So if we inhale it here," I continue, "and then walk into Tithers town, our scent will match theirs."

His expression changes immediately.

Now he looks genuinely surprised."That is impressive," he admits.

I nod slightly."Leslie knows what she’s doing."

Bane studies the small container again before inhaling the powder himself.

After he does, he hands it back to me.

For a moment he remains quiet.

Then he makes a strange remark."Leslie did learn something from her mother."

I frown immediately."What?"

I take the container back and tuck it into my coat again.

"Leslie’s mother is dead," I say.

Bane smiles slightly again. But once again he does not explain anything.

Instead he turns his attention forward and nods toward the marsh ahead.

"We have arrived."

I follow his gaze. And he is right.

The outer border of the Tithers town is just ahead.

The muddy path opens into a wider space where several wooden posts stand around the entrance.

There are guards there.

Tithers.

Several of them.

They are walking slowly around the border and carrying crude weapons in their hands.

Their skin has that strange pale grey color that most Tithers have and their eyes constantly scan the area like they are expecting trouble.

I count at least six of them on patrol.

Bane glances at me briefly."Stay calm," he says quietly.

"I am always calm," I reply.

Then I start walking toward the border. My steps are steady and confident.

If the scent suppressant works the way Leslie said it would, then they should smell one of their own kind when they get close to us.

The guards notice us quickly.

One of them lifts his head and squints in our direction.

Another one tightens his grip on his weapon.

We continue walking.

The distance between us slowly closes.

I can see their faces clearly now.

Their noses twitch slightly as they try to catch our scent.

My heart beats steadily inside my chest.

Come on Leslie.

Do not fail me now.

One of the guards steps forward. He sniffs the air again.

Then he looks at Bane. Then at me.

For a moment he simply stares. Then he grunts.

"You’re late," he says.

Bane immediately nods."The patrol route took longer than expected," he replies calmly.

The guard seems annoyed but he does not question us further.

Instead he gestures toward the town."Move along."

I keep my expression neutral and walk past him.

Bane follows beside me.

The moment we cross the border into the town I feel the tension in my shoulders ease slightly.

It worked.

Leslie’s suppressant worked perfectly.

We walk deeper into the Tithers town.

The place looks exactly the same as the last time we came here.

Tithers are moving around in groups while carrying tools and weapons.

None of them give us more than a passing glance.

To them we smell like one of their own.

Bane slows his pace slightly."The herb we need is not inside the town itself," he says quietly.

I glance at him."Then where?"

He nods toward the far end of the marsh."It grows near the deeper waters at the far end side."

I follow his gaze.

The marsh stretches out behind the town where the water becomes darker and thicker.

"That is where the Silvarin grows."

The name alone reminds me why we came here.

Silvarin.

The only herb that can neutralize Morveth Draught.

The poison currently killing Summer.

My jaw tightens."We should move faster then," I say.

Bane nods.

But before we take another step deeper into the marsh, a group of Tithers suddenly walks across the bridge in front of us and blocks the path.

Their eyes look suspicious as they stare at us.

One of them steps forward slowly.

And something about his gaze tells me immediately that this part of the mission is about to get a lot more difficult.

"You’re not Tithers"