A burst of fire exploded where he stood, twin pillars of heat kicking up sand and smoke.
For the sharp-eyed, for the ones fast enough to track him, they'd see it—his body cutting through the night sky like a blazing comet, soaring high, aimed straight for the village.
Its entrance sat between the narrowest part of this path, a towering mountain on each side.
It acted as a natural choke point, the path completely blocked off, barring any caravan from entering without their knowledge.
But that wasn't where the real village was.
The heart of it was deeper, hidden within the right mountain, its structures tucked into the stone, making it quite a cold place, especially now, at night.
Fwoosh!
Malik cleared the outer gate, twisted midair, and dropped straight down.
He hit the ground in a roll, absorbing the impact, his landing soft.
The guards didn't hear a damn thing.
But they would.
They would.
Malik took a breath, then another, before straightening up.
