The days went on as usual in the camp for Seraphina, her routine had been set, and rarely would it change— recently however she noticed that bandits often went out more than before.
She wasn't sure what, but she could tell something was going on behind the scenes.
Every glance, every hushed whisper she overheard, she analyzed carefully, information was very important— she was isolated from the outside world while in the camp and she needed them to learn about the outside.
Late in the afternoon, as the sun began to cast long shadows over the camp, one of Karel's lieutenants approached her with a simple, curt command.
"Karel wants to see you."
Seraphina froze momentarily, her pulse quickening before she forced herself to move— it had been a few days since she last saw him, not since that day.
She nodded without a word, wiping her hands on her dirt-streaked clothing before following the man toward the central tent.
The guards at the entrance didn't even spare her a glance as she stepped inside. The tent was as dim as ever, the flickering light from the oil lamps casting eerie shadows on the walls and Karel sat behind his desk, as imposing as ever, his eyes sharp and calculating.
Rowlin stood to one side, his expression unreadable as always.
"Ah, our star performer."
Karel greeted, his voice carrying a faint trace of amusement.
"Sit."
Seraphina didn't argue, taking the chair placed before his desk— she kept her gaze steady, though her body was tense.
"I've been watching you."
Karel's words cut through the silence like a blade. He leaned forward slightly, his piercing gaze locking onto hers.
"And it's been... entertaining."
Seraphina's heart skipped a beat, but she kept her expression neutral.
"I don't know what you mean."
Karel's smirk widened, his voice dropping to a low, menacing tone.
"Don't insult my intelligence, girl. You've been making friends, chatting with the men, planting little ideas in their heads. Oh, it's commendable, really. But not subtle enough."
Her breath hitched, her mind racing to process his words. How much did he know? How closely had he been watching her?
She never expected to go undetected from the man for very long, she just never expected it to be so quick. At least it proved two things to her, the first being how quick her ideas had spread, and the second being how closely the man watched her.
It meant she had value— at least in some way, the man thought of her as important.
Karel leaned back, his expression turning cold.
"I'll give you this warning once: control yourself. Amuse me too much, and you'll lose things precious to you."
The words struck her like a physical blow, her mind immediately going to Edwin and Samuel. Her throat tightened, but she forced herself to remain calm.
"I understand."
She said quietly, her words carefully chosen, as she neither admitted to his accusations nor denied it.
Karel's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, as if assessing her sincerity, before he nodded.
"Good. Because I have a new task for you."
He gestured to a map spread across the table, his finger tapping a small dot near their location.
"There's a village here. A small, insignificant place, but it has what we need— supplies and bodies."
Seraphina's stomach churned as he continued.
"You'll lead a group to raid it. Bring back everything of value: food, materials, and people. We can always use more slaves."
The cold, detached way he spoke made her skin crawl, but she kept her face blank.
"I'm guessing I can't refuse?"
She asked cautiously, though she already knew the answer.
Karel's smirk returned, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"You won't. Because you know what's at stake. But don't worry, I'm not heartless, if you do well, I'll give you something you need, a heart potion."
Rowlin spoke up after the man had finished explaining, not even giving Seraphina a chance to ask what the potion was— his voice colder than Karel's.
"You'll have the same group as last time. They'll follow your orders, but I'll be watching. If you fail or hesitate, you know the consequences."
Seraphina clenched her jaw, her hands curling into fists in her lap.
"I'll do it."
Karel's grin widened.
"Good. You leave at dawn."
That night, Seraphina sat in the cell, her mind a storm of thoughts. Edwin and Samuel noticed her unease, but when Samuel began to speak, she cut him off with a shake of her head.
"I have to leave tomorrow, I must focus, don't forget what I said before."
Her tone was firm but not unkind, and the two men exchanged worried glances before leaving her in silence.
She had no intention of stopping her plans from motion just because Karel had caught on— she just needed to adapt the plans so that he wouldn't fully understand the scope of it.
As the hours stretched on, she tried to rationalize the actions she would have to take. Refusal wasn't an option— Karel had made that abundantly clear. But the thought of raiding a village, of dragging innocent people into slavery, twisted her stomach in knots.
'This just keeps getting more and more complicated.'
The village raid was another test, another step down a path she loathed. But if she played it right, it could also be an opportunity— though she didn't yet know how.
At dawn, Seraphina stood at the edge of the camp, her hooded cloak draped over her shoulders and a simple mask concealing her face. The same ragtag group from the previous mission gathered behind her, their eagerness for violence palpable.
Rowlin approached, his expression unreadable.
"If you do well here, Karel has big plans for you. Don't disappoint."
Seraphina didn't respond, her gaze fixed on the horizon. With a sharp motion of her hand, she signaled the group to move out.
The village lay ahead, its unsuspecting inhabitants blissfully unaware of the storm about to descend upon them.