The village itself seemed to hold its breath.
Husrev paced from left to right, eyes flicking to the horizon, timing the distance until his reinforcements would return. His riders moved like shadows around the settlement, sealing every exit so no Turkish man could slip away. He was certain there had to be something valuable hidden in that village — the Turks' stubborn silence only confirmed his suspicion.
"Your Majesty!" a loyal Janissary inside the hut blurted out, voice trembling with urgency. "We should strike for the east. We can cut through these Rumelians before their reinforcements arrive, get a boat and sail along the Black Sea coast!"
"Yes, Your Majesty! The men searching the ports should have found something by now. If we board a ship we can reach friendly garrisons, rebuild, and—" the Janissary's words rushed out.
