Mia’s POV

The streets of Thornveil were livelier than I expected.

Merchants shouting over each other, kids running between stalls, the smell of grilled meat and fresh bread thick in the air. For once, it didn’t feel like the world was falling apart.

I pulled my cloak tighter around my disguise and kept walking.

No one paid me much attention — which was exactly how I wanted it. Still, it was… nice, seeing people laugh, argue, live like there wasn’t a bounty worth ten million gold on ...