She tightened her grip on her cloak and quickened her pace, careful not to make a sound. Her footsteps became a measured breath of silence. She needed to reach that hall and find out exactly how long the meeting lasted.
She reached the shadowed corner and merged with it, letting the darkness fold around her. From where she stood, she had a clear line of sight to the meeting hall, close enough to catch the soft thud of boots and the faint glimmer of lamplight spilling from the doorway. She watched as guards slipped into the hall one after another, their movements formal and quiet, almost ritualistic.
Relief stirred gently in her chest, a small warmth amid the cold. She had made it in time. “Right on time,” she breathed.
Slowly, the door of the meeting hall shut with a deep, final thud. L
