The camp was quiet. Most of the soldiers were asleep. Exhausted from a long day of drills, scouting, and sparring.
Only a few low-burning fires remained. Flickering gently in the dark like tired eyes struggling to stay open.
The wind carried the distant creak of banners and the faint rustle of tent canvas, but otherwise, everything was still.
Lena moved with practiced silence.
Her steps were light, measured. Barely making a sound against the packed dirt as she passed between rows of tents.
The chill of the night nipped at her skin, but she ignored it. Her focus was sharp. Every muscle in her body steady.
She reached the supply crates near the edge of the camp and crouched behind them, just out of sight of the sentries.
Her breathing was quiet, controlled.
Slowly, carefully. She reached for her ear and removed a plain-looking earring.
It shimmered faintly under the moonlight.
Not just an ornament.
A storage item.
