The amber glow of dawn stretched across the horizon as the carriage rocked gently over the dusty road.
Jett leaned against the weathered wood, his muscles coiled with tension, while the silent concern of his companions filled each creak of the wheels and rattled the hinges above.
Eleonora pressed her palm against the glass window, watching the treeline blur as it drifted past. Her heart constricted at the sight of the capital's looming walls in the distance. Duty weighed on her like a shroud—she had to remain composed, yet every mile stirred fresh worry in her chest, making her breath catch with involuntary alarm. The fate of our alliance rests on his shoulders, she reminded herself, smoothing the folds of her sleeve as she held herself taut.
