Lady Eleanor's journey to the next town had been anything but typical. Usually, her visits to inspect her business interests were peaceful, interrupted only by routine check-ins with her establishments or meetings with local merchants. Encounters with bandits or monsters were rare; her status and convoy often discouraged threats from lurking too close.
But this time, it was as if the road itself had changed. They had barely left the previous town's borders when her guards spotted the first signs of trouble: creatures prowling in the underbrush, their eyes gleaming with hunger. A little farther on, they were ambushed by a gang of bandits. Helena had handled it with her usual ruthless efficiency, and they pressed on, only to meet yet more challenges.
Eleanor glanced out the window of her carriage, frowning. "This is far more than a coincidence," she murmured, her gaze shifting to her loyal attendants. "It's as though something — or someone — wants to test us."
