JJ stood up and walked to the window. The town outside was quiet now, the streets empty under the moonlight. She could hear the distant rustling of leaves and the occasional clatter of a cart rolling down a distant road. It should have been peaceful. It wasn't.
The Black Bulls. General Osalf. Their offer hung over her like a cloud, impossible to shake. She was no stranger to danger, but this was different. She wasn't just risking herself anymore. Every move she made put Ty in greater danger. The thought of him standing alone, defenseless in the burning landscape from her dream, haunted her.
Her fingers grazed the windowsill as she thought. The Black Bulls had made it clear: help them infiltrate the kingdom, and they would help ensure Ty survived the Arena of Life. But at what cost? She couldn't fully trust them. Not with everything she knew about their operations, their ruthlessness.
