The camp transformed in seconds. Warriors formed protective circles around the most vulnerable positions, weapons glinting in the firelight. Scouts disappeared into the darkness, moving with practiced silence to track the source of the laughter. And in the center of it all, the healing tent became a fortress, with Aria, Cassidy, Liora, and Kaelan surrounded by a wall of guards.
Marcus stood at the tent's entrance, his warrior instincts sharp and focused. "She wants you rattled," he said to Aria. "Wants you scared and making mistakes. Don't give her that."
Aria nodded, trying to steady her breathing. Her hands were shaking, but she clenched them into fists, refusing to show more fear than she already had.
"How did she get this close?" Nessa's voice cut through the organized chaos as she strode into the tent, Ezra right behind her. "We had perimeter guards, magical wards, scouts positioned everywhere."
