Ereneth observed the small forest near the lord's castle. The forest appeared to be relatively new, with a noticeable number of young trees, as if it had been replanted after felling.

Within that forest, figures cloaked in black robes blended seamlessly with the surroundings, hiding their presence. To the naked eye, they would be nearly impossible to detect.

But as they, too, were part of nature, they could not escape Ereneth's gaze.

One figure stood out among the assassins—a man whose face was heavily wrapped in bandages. The moment Ereneth identified him, her breath caught.

Every time he exhaled, a …