Korrin

KORRIN

T he fire crackled, sending sparks dancing into the night sky, the acrid smell of smoke blending with the earthy scent of the forest. My men's faces were etched with weariness and worry, the flickering flames highlighting the lines of fatigue around their eyes.

"We could try a direct assault," Roji suggested, his grizzled features set in a grim line. "Hit them hard and fast before they know what's coming."

It wouldn't work. I knew it in my bones. "Too risky. The castle is heavily guarded, and we'd be outnumbered ten to one."

"What about a stealth approach?" Kalen piped up, his youthful face alight with enthusiasm. "We could sneak in through the sewers or an underground passage."

I considered it for a moment, but the idea quickly lost its appeal. "Too many unknowns. We'd wander blind, and one wrong turn could spell disaster."

The group fell silent, each of us lost in our own thoughts. My gaze drifted to Denna, who sat apart from us, her eyes fixed on the flames. She had been unusually quiet since our escape from the underground caverns, and a pang of concern tugged in my chest.

"Perhaps a diversion?" Ven offered, breaking the silence. "We could create a distraction to draw the guards away, then slip in while their defenses are weakened."

I pursed my lips, weighing the idea. "It's not a bad plan, but it relies too heavily on timing and luck. One misstep, and we could find ourselves trapped."

As the discussion continued, my eyes kept returning to Denna. She had bathed in the nearby stream, her golden hair damp and her skin glowing in the firelight.

Finally, she spoke, her voice soft but carrying an undercurrent of determination. ", tell me again what Lord Orland wants in exchange for the baroness."

I could almost see the gears turning in her mind. Her silence wasn't one of defeat, but of intense concentration.

I met her piercing blue eyes, and the weight of our mission settled heavily upon me once more. "He's demanding the location of our silver mine," I replied, my voice low. "But I cannot give it to him. The mine is a lifeline for our people, ensuring our safety and stability."

Denna nodded slowly, her expression pensive. "And Baroness Balinta? She would never forgive you if you betrayed the Wandering Nation, would she?"

A rueful smile tugged at my lips. "No, she wouldn't. The baroness is a woman of unwavering principles. She would sooner die than see our people's future jeopardized."

Denna fell silent once more, her gaze distant as she stared into the flickering flames. I watched her, trying to decipher the thoughts swirling behind those mesmerizing blue eyes. She was an enigma, a puzzle I yearned to solve, yet feared I never truly could. Despite the bond we shared, the connection that had sparked between us in the depths of the caverns, she remained a mystery in so many ways.

Her experiences, her upbringing, her very essence—they were all so different from my own. Where I had been raised among the Wandering Nation, learning the ways of the warrior and the value of loyalty, Denna had grown up in the Temple of Terr, surrounded by secrets and rituals I scarcely comprehended. She possessed a strength and resilience that both awed and humbled me, a fire that burned bright even in the face of adversity.

As I watched, a slow smile curved her lips, a glimmer of something unreadable in her eyes. She turned to face me, her expression resolute. ", I think we should give the location of the mine to Orland."

"Give up the mine?" I recoiled, my eyes widening in disbelief. "Denna, that mine is more than just silver. It's our people's lifeblood, our future. How could you even suggest such a thing?"

She held up a hand, her gaze unwavering. "Hear me out, . I understand how much the mine means to you and your people. But think about it—Orland is holding a hostage that you want. He has the upper hand. If we refuse to give him what he wants, what's to stop him from harming her, or worse?"

My jaw clenched. "We'll find another way. We always do. Giving in to Orland's demands is not an option. It goes against everything we stand for, everything we've fought to protect."

Even as the words left my mouth, doubt gnawed at me. Was I letting my pride endanger the baroness? Was there a better way that I was too stubborn to see?

Denna's smile softened, and she reached out, placing a gentle hand on my arm. Her touch sent a jolt through me, awakening memories of our time in the caverns. I fought to focus on her words, not the softness of her skin or the warmth in her eyes.

", do you trust me?" she asked. We might have been alone, everyone else fading into the background.

I met her gaze, my heart hammering in my ears. "Of course I do, Denna. With my life."

Her smile widened, and she squeezed my arm reassuringly. "Good. Then trust that I have a plan. Someone told me that there's more than one way to fight."