#Chapter 54 Objective Incomplete

Ember We leave the palace before first light. The group is small, just Prince Kaine, me, the Captain, and four other guards. Enough to move quickly and not draw too much attention. The unrest near the southern border is growing. Every day the reports come in with new sightings, more damage, more uncertainty. What was once distant rumor is now an encroaching reality. I keep my attention on the mission. Our pace is steady, the travel quiet. Prince Kaine says little. He reviews reports each night, marking maps in silence. When he does speak, it’s to ask for updates or to give orders. His tone is calm, but I can feel the tension radiating off of him. He has to do well here. The Captain, on the other hand, talks constantly. He recites numbers, shares unnecessary stories, names every patrol commander he’s ever worked with. It’s obvious he wants to seem involved. No one tells him to stop, but no one encourages him either. I nod when necessary, but I don’t speak more than I have