Chapter 8: The Red Sparrow's Shadow
The following morning, the first rays of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the cave, waking Colt from a restless sleep. The adventure had only just begun, but already, his mind was buzzing with anticipation. They had made it through the first night undetected, but there was no time to relax. The real danger was still ahead.
Ash had already packed up her things by the time Colt groggily stood up. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow as he rubbed his eyes.
"Didn't expect you to sleep so late," she said, her voice tinged with amusement. "We've got a long day ahead."
"Yeah, yeah," Colt muttered, adjusting his gear. "I was busy dreaming about defeating the Red Sparrow. Got a lot of plans in there."
Ash rolled her eyes. "You might want to stick to reality for now, Colt. We've got to figure out how to get past the guards and into Crosswind Ridge without getting caught."
Colt snapped to attention. "Right. Let's do this."
They exited the cave and cautiously made their way to a higher vantage point overlooking the caravan. The guards had begun packing up camp, preparing to continue their journey. Colt could already hear the chatter of the men as they discussed the next stretch of the road, their voices carrying across the wind.
"Okay, here's the deal," Ash whispered, pulling out the map once more. "We're going to wait for the caravan to start moving. Once it does, we'll follow them, but from the shadows. There's a narrow pass up ahead, right before the main path to Crosswind Ridge. It'll give us a perfect opportunity to slip through without anyone noticing."
Colt nodded. "Sounds good. Let's do it."
As the caravan began to roll forward, the two stowaways kept low to the ground, carefully moving along the edge of the trail. The last thing they wanted was to be spotted by one of the guards. They followed the caravan for what felt like hours, the terrain growing steeper and more rugged as they approached the pass Ash had mentioned.
Suddenly, Colt stopped in his tracks. He had caught a glimpse of something—someone—in the distance. A figure, moving swiftly along the ridge above them.
"Did you see that?" he whispered urgently to Ash.
Ash followed his gaze, her expression unreadable. "Yeah, I saw. Stay low."
The figure had disappeared before Colt could get a good look, but the strange sense of danger hadn't left him. He felt a chill run down his spine. Something was off.
The two of them crouched down behind a large boulder, trying to make themselves as small as possible. They waited, holding their breath, their eyes darting from side to side. Colt's heart was pounding in his chest.
Then, just as they thought they were safe, they heard footsteps approaching. Heavy boots crunching on the gravel, getting closer. Colt and Ash exchanged a brief look before scrambling to the next rock, staying hidden in the shadows.
The footsteps grew louder, and then, to Colt's surprise, they stopped right in front of the boulder they were hiding behind.
A voice—gravelly and low—spoke. "I know you're there."
Colt's breath hitched in his throat. They had been spotted.
The figure stepped out from behind the boulder, revealing himself to be one of the Red Sparrow's men. He was tall, muscular, and wore a dark cloak that blended in with the shadows. His eyes, sharp and calculating, locked onto Colt and Ash.
"You two are far from home," the man said, his voice laced with suspicion.
Ash was the first to react, standing up and holding her hands out, trying to remain calm. "We're just travelers," she said quickly. "We're not with the Red Sparrow. We're just trying to get through."
The man's eyes narrowed, studying them both carefully. Colt's heart was still racing. They couldn't afford to be caught. Not now.
The man looked at Ash for a long moment before his gaze shifted to Colt. There was something unsettling in his expression, as if he could see straight through them.
"You're not fooling me," the man said, his tone darkening. "I've seen your kind before. You think you can sneak past the Red Sparrow's people without being noticed?"
Colt's mind was racing. He needed to think fast—this was his moment to act. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he knew one thing: if they got caught, it was over.
Just as the man moved to draw his weapon, Colt lunged forward, tackling him to the ground. The man grunted in surprise, but Colt was already on top of him, pinning him to the dirt.
Ash took a step back, eyes wide with shock. "Colt! What are you doing?!"
The man struggled beneath Colt's weight, trying to push him off. Colt's adrenaline surged, and he managed to knock the man's weapon out of his hand, sending it skidding across the gravel.
"Get the rope!" Colt shouted to Ash. "Hurry!"
Ash hesitated for a moment, then quickly reached into her pack and pulled out a length of rope. She threw it to Colt, who expertly tied the man's hands behind his back.
The Red Sparrow's man was now subdued, lying on the ground with Colt sitting on top of him, keeping him immobilized.
"Not bad," Ash muttered. "I didn't know you had it in you."
Colt grinned, a little too excited. "What can I say? I'm full of surprises."
The man growled beneath them, clearly angry. "You're making a huge mistake," he spat. "You don't know what you're up against."
Colt's grin faded slightly, but he kept his cool. "I think we'll be just fine. Now, why don't you tell us everything you know about the Red Sparrow's operations? And don't try anything funny. I'm not afraid to make you talk."
The man glared at him, but Ash was right there, a cold expression on her face, her fingers tapping on the hilt of her dagger.
After a tense moment, the man sighed. "Fine. I'll talk."
And with that, they had their first real lead on the Red Sparrow's plans.