The fire hissed softly as fresh wood was added, its warmth pushing back the creeping cold of dawn.
They sat around it in a loose circle—silent, tired, changed.
Each of them had faced danger before. Had walked into shadows and returned carrying truths others would never see. But this was different. This wasn't just intelligence. It was a storm on the edge of exploding. A foreign kingdom teetering on the brink, and six spies sitting in the middle of it.
Zara was the first to break the silence.
"We can't win this."
The words fell like stones. No hesitation. Just brutal honesty.
Faizah looked up, startled. "What do you mean?"
"I mean this isn't sabotage. It's not some noble smuggling gold or a spy selling secrets. This is a coup. Backed by a foreign empire. With money, weapons, clergy, the nobility… maybe even the people."
Taban nodded grimly. "She's right. The Restorers alone are better trained than most regular soldiers. The Portuguese don't train soft."
