The hooded figure walked through empty streets. Her boots made soft sounds against cobblestone.
She turned down a narrow alley between two buildings that leaned close enough their upper floors nearly touched. At the end stood a door. Plain wood with iron banding.
She knocked. Three times, pause, then twice more.
A few moments later, footsteps approached from inside. A bolt slid back with a metallic scrape.
The door opened.
A girl stood in the doorway wearing simple nightclothes, loose shirt and pants, barefoot. Her chestnut hair was pulled back in a messy bun, a few strands falling around her face. Hazel eyes looked the hooded figure up and down, then she smirked.
"Took your time, huh?"
The hooded figure pushed past her into the small room. "Those bastards weren't even a challenge."
She reached up and pulled back her hood as she moved toward the center of the room.
