Dimitri rode the horse tirelessly throughout the night. Sorayah, exhausted, eventually succumbed to sleep, her body swaying gently with the rhythm of the ride. When she finally opened her eyes, daylight had broken, painting the world in hues of white and soft blue.
Her gaze fell upon a sprawling series of tents in the distance, neatly arranged in rows. Though they were still far off, Sorayah could see figures moving between them, their identities obscured by the distance and the rising morning mist.
"Where are we?" Sorayah asked at last, her voice hoarse from sleep, confusion etched plainly across her delicate features. The wind swept her golden hair across her face, strands lashing lightly against her cheeks and even brushing over Dimitri's sharp jawline.
"We're at a soldiers' camp," Dimitri replied, his tone serious and deliberate. "One of many, but this one leads directly to the borders separating our pack from the others. The war has started."
