The morning light slanted through the stone arches of the underground square, pale gold spilling across rough-hewn walls. Dust hung in the air, stirred by boots and nervous shuffling.
Twenty-seven figures stood assembled on the flat stone floor — soldiers, thieves, hunters. Some looked restless, others grim. The air was thick with expectation.
"Captain," said a hulking man with a shaved head and a voice like a bear's growl, "aren't we supposed to be on patrol right now?"
Cao, the man's name was — Alec's second-in-command, as solid as the boulders he was built from. Two meters tall, muscles coiled beneath leather armor, and a mind as straightforward as a hammer.
Alec shot him a hard look. "Shut your mouth and stand straight," he said. His voice carried across the stone walls. "We're not patrolling today. The City Lord has business with us. You'll hear soon enough."
Cao scratched the back of his neck, sheepish but obedient. "Right. Aye, Captain."
