Ace's POV
Ray and I approached the man lying motionless on the road, his body sprawled against the dusty ground like a discarded shadow. The late afternoon sun cast long streaks of light across the path, illuminating the fine fabric of his clothes. He doesn't look like a bandit, I thought, my curiosity piqued but my guard still firmly in place. His attire was too refined, too deliberate for a mere highway thief.
Just as I reached out to check his pulse, his eyes snapped open, sharp and alert. In one fluid motion, he seized the sword hidden beneath his chest and swung it toward me with lightning speed. I barely managed to sidestep the blade, the cold steel grazing the air where my neck had been moments before.
"A!" Ovelia's voice rang out from the wagon, laced with panic. Her concern was palpable, and it sent a jolt through me.
