99:  MY PLAN

The moon hung low in the night sky as the wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it the scent of pine and the distant, haunting cries of wolves. It was a scary calm, the kind that settled deep into the bones, reminding all who dared to listen that the storm was far from over.

I stood by the window of my chamber, staring out into the abyss, my mind racing with thoughts I couldn’t shake. The bandits had taken Nashville, but they hadn’t taken everything. My hand drifted unconsciously to the deep gash on my side, the wound still fresh and throbbing beneath the bandages. I winced but pushed the pain aside, knowing that physical agony was the least of my concerns.

There was a soft knock at the door. I turned, already knowing who it was. “Come in,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.

The door creaked open, and Zaza stepped inside, her face a mask of worry. She moved with the grace of a panther, silent and controlled, but her eyes betrayed her concern. She had been my rock t