The World Cannot Know

Chapter 41

Matthew Wild

The night air was crisp and biting as I crouched low behind a cluster of trees on the outskirts of the Valorian base camp. The faint sounds of soldiers moving about the camp carried through the darkness, mingling with the rustle of leaves and the distant call of an owl. I adjusted my position slightly, trying to stay as still as possible while keeping my eyes fixed on the large tent in the centre of the camp. That was where the Valorian general was staying, and I was waiting for the signal to confirm he had left.

Arney was somewhere deeper within the shadows, hidden near the camp's perimeter. We had crept our way through the back roads and narrow paths of Cowgate, arriving just before dawn, when the Valorian patrols were changing shifts. The timing had been perfect; we'd avoided detection so far, but now came the most dangerous part.

The camp was illuminated by the faint glow of dying fires, casting eerie shadows over the tents and makeshift barricades. Valorian soldiers moved like ghosts through the camp, their faces obscured by helmets and the darkness. I had counted at least twenty of them since we arrived—more than I had expected. But there was no turning back now.

As I kept my eyes fixed on the general's tent, a sudden flash of light caught my attention. A fire had broken out near the supply tent, where several barrels were stored. Flames licked up the sides of the barrels, spreading rapidly and casting a fierce, orange glow across the camp. Panic rippled through the soldiers as they rushed to contain the blaze, their disciplined movements dissolving into chaos.

My heart skipped a beat. The fire was dangerously close to where Arney was supposed to be infiltrating the general's tent. I felt a surge of fear—what if he was caught in the middle of it? What if the fire spread to the tent before he could get out?

The flames grew higher, crackling as they devoured the barrels and anything else in their path. Smoke began to billow into the night sky, thick and suffocating. The light from the fire illuminated the camp, turning it into a scene of frantic activity as soldiers shouted orders and tried to douse the flames with water.

I scanned the area desperately, searching for any sign of Arney. The fear that he might be trapped or discovered gnawed at me, making it hard to stay still. The plan had been risky, but now it was teetering on the edge of disaster.

Finally, I saw movement near the tent flap. Arney slipped out, clutching a bundle of papers to his chest, his form almost lost in the chaos. Relief washed over me, but as he darted between the tents, weaving through the growing confusion, I lost sight of him. The fire cast long, flickering shadows that made it impossible to track his movements. My heart pounded in my chest as I scanned the camp, searching for any sign of him, but all I saw were soldiers rushing to and fro, their armor gleaming in the firelight.

Panic gripped me. Where had he gone? Had he been spotted, or worse, caught? I cursed under my breath, every second of his absence stretching into an eternity. My mind raced with worst-case scenarios, each one more terrifying than the last. I knew I couldn't wait much longer—if I stayed, I risked getting caught myself. But leaving without him was unthinkable.

I raised two fingers to my lips and let out a soft, sharp whistle—the signal for Arney to make his way back to me. The sound was low, just enough for him to hear, but not loud enough to draw unwanted attention.

For a moment, nothing happened. The fire continued to roar, and the soldiers kept moving outward, their search patterns widening. My heart sank as I realised that I might have to go in after him. But just as I steeled myself to take action, I saw a figure darting through the shadows, moving swiftly and purposefully toward me. It was Arney.

Relief flooded through me as he closed the distance, his face tense with urgency. There was no time to celebrate—we had to move, and fast.

The soldiers were already spreading out, their search now focused on the outskirts of the camp. We exchanged a quick, tense nod before turning and slipping into the cover of the trees. The camp behind us was a scene of confusion and flames, but the sounds of pursuit were growing fainter as we put distance between ourselves and the Valorians.