Alexander
I kept my hood low, the night wind scattering leaves across the forest floor. The silence here was absolute, thick, unsettling, the kind that made men shift uncomfortably and listen for shadows.
My men followed behind me, wordless, disciplined. We were far outside the city walls, in the kind of place only thieves or desperate men wandered.
“Welcome,” a familiar voice cut through the quiet.
I smiled faintly beneath the hood and stepped closer. Taking a seat near the fire, I looked up to find Carlo waiting, his ever-watchful green eyes meeting mine.
“It’s been a while, Alexander,” he said with a knowing grin.
“I know.” My voice was even. “Why call me out here?”
He scanned the trees, cautious as always. My men kept their distance, standing guard in the dark.
“They’re trustw
