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The two of them restlessly journeyed day and night, reaching Caen and finding shelter in a small inn of a former Girondin arranged by Danton. As they checked in at the reception desk, Edith noticed the man attending to them casting vigilant glances at Raphael''s face.
"Something''s off, Edith," Raphael abruptly halted his steps while climbing the stairs, his voice filled with gloom."There was something off about that man just now."
Nervously, Edith grabbed his hand, holding her breath as she overheard hushed discussions downstairs mentioning "portrait,""sheriff," and urgent commands to "hurry and return."
Suddenly, Saint-Clemont appeared at the staircase, causing the two men whispering at the counter to panic and attempt to flee. Without hesitation, Raphael raised his pistol, bringing the two men down to the ground.
Edith gazed at the crimson-black blood seeping from the fallen men''s heads onto the floor, her heart pounding in fear as she instinctively covered her mouth with both hands.
Raphael stood still, clenching his teeth tightly, making a grinding sound."So, Danton and Desmoulins, they have already been arrested! They just couldn''t wait any longer! Hurry, Edith, we need to hide in the forest!"
She grasped the hand he extended, and together they sprinted towards the nearby maze-like woods. Along the way, they faintly heard the earlier gunshots causing a chaotic uproar of cries and shouts behind them, urging them not to slow their pace.
Finally reaching a secure area deep within the forest, Raphael abruptly sat down under a tree, gasping for breath. The nighttime air was chilly in the woods. He removed his coat to wrap it around the girl at his side.
After a while, rain began to fall from the sky. He tore off his vest, shielding her head, leaving himself with only a loosely buttoned white shirt, drenched by the rain and clinging tightly to his slender yet sturdy physique.
Raphael''s lips braced as he muttered under his breath,"I had suspected this all along; Quenet won''t let me off. Merely daring to hope for your pity is an unforgivable sin in his eyes!"
Edith sensed that the killing just now and the sight of blood had plunged Raphael into a dark state of mind. Worriedly, she reached out and caressed his hand.
Suddenly, he turned his face towards her, a smile of determination spreading across his face."But what do I hav