Shadows stretched across the outskirts of Drakoria like grasping fingers as Cassandra and Mara picked their way through the darkness. Every rustle made them freeze, hearts pounding. They'd deliberately left their cart behind – too conspicuous, too easy to track. Now they moved on foot, clutching their meager possessions close.
The city's lights dimmed behind them, replaced by an eerie twilight that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. Mara's fingers tightened around her bag's strap, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Are you certain about this contact of yours?" Her eyes darted from shadow to shadow. "I mean, she's still an Enforcer, Cass. What if—"
"Officer Chen won't betray us," Cassandra cut in, though her own voice carried a hint of uncertainty. "She has no reason to lie. Besides, she's risking as much as we are."
