The ride back to the palace was quiet… too quiet for comfort. The sun had dipped low, painting the horizon in bruised shades of purple and red, and the wind carried the faint scent of smoke. I didn’t know if it came from a campfire… or something worse.
We were halfway through a narrow mountain path when it happened.
A whistle sliced through the air… sharp, high, and quick. Then came the crash of something hitting the side of our carriage.
The horses neighed in panic, jerking against their reins. My heart lurched.
“Ambush!” one of the guards shouted.
Everything blurred after that. Figures in ragged clothes came out of the trees, their eyes wild and hungry.
They weren’t warriors, they were desperate. Gaunt faces, torn tunics, rusted blades. I could smell the fear on them more than th
