The ride back to Kaedus's castle was steeped in tension. Vala rode at the forefront, her golden hair glinting in the moonlight as she guided the group through the dense forest. Behind her, Thadric, Selyna, and Elvara followed in silence, their expressions marked by a mix of curiosity and unease.
Thadric broke the quiet first, his booming voice cutting through the night.
'Alright, someone's gotta ask. Vala, where in the frozen abyss have you been? You disappear for ages, show up in the middle of a battlefield, and now you're acting all mysterious.'
Selyna shot him a sharp look.
'Thadric, maybe let her explain when she's ready?'
'I'm just saying,'
Thadric replied with a shrug,
'we're all thinking it.'
Vala didn't turn, her voice steady as she spoke.
'I've been serving our lord, just as all of you have. The details of my mission were classified, even from you.'
'Convenient,'
Selyna muttered under her breath.
