The bounty proclamation drifted up the ridge, carried on the crisp mountain air like a death sentence. Ten thousand gold pieces. It was not just a number. It was a formal invitation for every desperate cutthroat, ambitious mage, and glory-hungry knight in the region to make our lives a living hell.
"Well," Valka said, her voice dropping into a low, dangerous register. "The cat is officially out of the bag. And it appears the cat has a target painted on its back."
"They know," Celeste murmured, her face pale. She was staring at the caravan with wide, unblinking eyes. "They have a description. How is that possible? We have been careful. We have not even entered the city limits yet."
