The heavy wooden doors of the Council Chamber were suddenly thrown open. Roslyn hurried inside, breaking the brief silence in the hall.
"Lord Suleiman!" His chest heaved, his face a mixture of anxiety and haste. "My lord!"
"Speak!" Suleiman looked away from Evelyn. Why were Roslyn and Lushen always so alarmed?
"Lushen! Lushen!" Roslyn gasped, his face flushed. "A bandit leader named Hek has captured some people who wanted to descend the mountains and surrender."
"That's in Lushen's area. Lushen... he... he flew into a rage and charged up the mountain with only the three soldiers at his side!"
Suleiman pressed a hand to his forehead. What a reckless fool. Truly brave, though.
Suleiman looked at Roslyn. "Roslyn!"
"Rally fifty soldiers at the Lion's Den. Bring weapons and equipment, and follow me as quickly as you can."
"I'll ride ahead with the cavalry."
As he spoke, Suleiman strode toward the door. His voice betrayed not the slightest panic, remaining calm and steady.
Hoofbeats soon rang out beyond the Lion's Den. Suleiman galloped at the front, followed by twelve riders. They kicked up clouds of dust as they raced north toward the mountains.
That night, in the northern woods, Lushen was not nearly as reckless as Roslyn had described.
A fierce wind howled through the trees in the High Mountains, whistling between their branches.
Lushen and three soldiers crouched behind a concealed rock, taking off their heavy padded armor piece by piece, then burying it beneath leaves and branches.
"My lord, are we really going up like this?" one soldier asked in a low voice. It was dangerous, and his voice was tense as he smeared cold, damp mud over his face and body.
"Think about it!" Lushen said calmly. He grabbed a handful of muck and smeared it without hesitation