Chapter 65: Power Struggle
Smoke hung thick in the air, a suffocating haze that painted the camp in shades of gray and black. The flickering firelight reflected off the blood-slicked ground, casting eerie shadows across the gathering crowd. Alex stood at the center of the chaos, her sword trembling in her hand, every nerve in her body screaming at her to collapse, but she couldn't—not now.
The soldiers around her watched in tense silence, their faces a tapestry of fear, doubt, and something that might have been hope. But there were just as many who cast glances toward Calista's tent, their loyalty still tethered to the woman who had ruled them with iron discipline.
