Dressed in a military uniform, the man was leaning against the front portion of the battlement on both elbows, near the flagpole Seph needed to access. She had no idea how she might overpower him if he turned and saw her, but despite her less than graceful entrance, he was still facing away from her.
Carefully, Seph dropped to the ground, bouncing so as not to land heavily on the stone landing and startle him. There was a slight thunk when she hit, but he still didn’t turn.
Seph took careful steps closer to him, pulling the knife she’d brought along with her out of its sheath and holding it at her side. She prayed this man would turn out to be a friend, someone who knew Eli, or who would take the side of the princess. But if it came down to a fight with a trained man holding a sword, she didn’t think there would be much she could do to defend herself.
