The next morning arrived wrapped in a gentle breeze that stirred the treetops. Sasha got up feeling lighter, as if the previous night's training had cleared his mind as well as strengthened his core.
He dressed quickly and headed toward the village. He needed to find out who that shadow moving through the alleys was, but he also had to act like any other villager to avoid raising suspicion.
Upon reaching the plaza, he saw merchants preparing their stalls, and among them he recognized Lien standing by a cart of firewood.When their eyes met, the boy gave him a shy greeting.
— "Did you sleep well?" Lien asked as Sasha approached.
— "So-so," Sasha replied, smiling sideways. "How about you?"
Lien shrugged.— "Nothing strange happened. Just work and more work."
Sasha nodded silently. That was the best news he could hear for now.
Then a murmur swept through the main street. A group of mounted soldiers rode through the village, their horses' hooves kicking up dust. They all wore simple armor but carried a banner Sasha recognized instantly: the Everin duchy's insignia.
His family.
The soldiers stopped in front of the mayor's house and hurriedly dismounted. They looked tense, as if carrying bad news.Sasha felt his heart pounding.In the story he knew, that kind of visit could only mean one thing:The first omen that peace was about to break.
He couldn't wait around.
— "Lien," Sasha said urgently, "I have to go. We'll talk later."
He said goodbye without waiting for a response and ran after the soldiers, keeping to the shadows between the stalls so no one would notice.
He had to hear what they would say, understand what had changed because of his presence in this world, and prepare for what was coming.
He wasn't going to let the events he remembered repeat without trying to change them.After all, now that he was here, Sasha was no longer just an extra in the story.