Jack walked with his hood low, eyes sharp, feet light. The road into the Crystal pack felt too wide, too open to him because he was trying to keep himself unseen, but he kept his steps steady as he went. He had never been a spy and he knew that if things went wrong and Rowland found him, then he was doomed. He had to move like he belonged, like he was nothing but another tired man drifting in.The guards at the gate hardly looked at him. He carried a small sack, just like many others who passed. When he entered, he let out a breath he had been holding.“Keep low. Do not draw eyes,” he told himself repeatedly.Jack slipped toward the lower quarters where slaves and servants moved about. The place was loud with chatter, wood scraping, pots clanging. He blended in, head down, slow steps.As he passed by the slave quarters, he heard soft whispers. He paused, leaning against a wall, listening.Two maids stood by a broken ba
Last Updated : 2025-08-22 Read more