Reborn as the Last van Ambrose

A hand was placed on Huangyan's shoulder as she peered through the prison bars.

"What are you doing here?" The voice was cold.

Huangyan turned slowly. An elven officer stood behind her. His armor was more elaborate than the others. Silver inlays decorated the breastplate. His eyes were sharp.

"Captain Morvain, I presume?" she said. Her voice stayed steady despite her racing heart.

"You presume correctly. But you haven't answered my question."

"Lieutenant Silvara. Eastern reconnaissance." She straightened her shoulders. "Commander Thalorin sent me to inspect the prisoners before tomorrow's transport."

"Did he now?" Morvain stepped closer. His breath smelled of wine and something else. Something unpleasant. "That's interesting. Because I spoke with Thalorin not ten minutes ago. He made no mention of sending anyone to my prison."

Huangyan's hand drifted toward her weapon. The corridor felt smaller now. More confined. "Perhaps there was miscommunication."

"Perhaps." Morvain's eyes narrowed. "Or perhaps you're not who you claim to be."

The corridor grew tense. Other guards were starting to notice the confrontation. Two moved closer from the far end of the hallway. Another peered around a corner.

"I have my orders," Huangyan said. "If you have questions, take them up with the commander."

"Oh, I intend to." Morvain smiled. His smile wasn't pleasant to look at. "Guards! Escort Lieutenant Silvara back to the command center. I want to verify her story personally."

Three elven soldiers moved to surround her. Their hands rested on their sword hilts. They moved in unison.

Huangyan calculated her options. The corridor was narrow. Too many guards for a clean fight. The walls were stone. No windows. No alternate exits. The prisoners were right here, but rescuing them now would doom the entire mission.

"That won't be necessary," she said. "I'll return to the commander myself."

"I'm afraid I must insist." Morvain gestured to his guards. "For security purposes, of course."

The guards closed in. Their formation was textbook. One reached for her arm.

"Actually," a new voice called out from behind them. "Lieutenant Silvara is needed elsewhere."

Everyone turned. Another elf approached from the main corridor. This one wore the insignia of a senior patrol leader. His armor was battle-worn.

"Captain Theron," Morvain acknowledged. "What brings you here?"

"Emergency patrol formation. We've discovered something disturbing on the eastern perimeter."

Theron's expression was grim. Dark circles under his eyes suggested he hadn't slept recently. "Commander's orders. All available officers are to report immediately."

Morvain hesitated. "What kind of disturbance?"

"The kind that requires discretion." Theron looked directly at Huangyan. "Lieutenant, you're with me."

Huangyan moved toward him before Morvain could object. Her heart was still racing. This could be a trap within a trap.

"Wait," Morvain called. His voice carried authority. "I still need to verify her credentials with..."

"Verify later," Theron interrupted. His tone left no room for an argument. "Right now we have seven dead elves hanging from trees with their ears cut off. The commander wants every patrol leader accounted for."

The color drained from Morvain's face. His grip on his sword hilt tightened.

"Dead elves? Displayed?"

"Seven of them. Arranged like hunting trophies." Theron's jaw tightened. "Someone is sending us a message."

He turned to leave. "Coming, Lieutenant?"

Huangyan followed without hesitation. They walked quickly away from the prison complex. Her mind raced through possibilities.

Was Theron actually helping her? Or leading her into a more elaborate trap?

Once they were out of earshot of the prison guards, Theron spoke quietly.

"You're not Lieutenant Silvara."

Huangyan tensed. "No. I'm not."

"Good. Because Silvara was my cousin. She died three days ago in a patrol ambush."

Huangyan's hand moved to her weapon. The narrow alley between buildings would limit her movement if this went badly.

"Relax," Theron continued. "I'm not raising an alarm."

"Why not?"

"Because whoever killed those seven elves on the eastern perimeter also killed the bastards who murdered my cousin." He looked at her directly. His eyes were tired. "I assume you're connected to that... artwork?"

"Possibly."

"Then we have common interests."

They reached a quiet section between buildings. Storage sheds lined one side. The main barracks were on the other. Theron stopped walking and looked around carefully.

"I know you're not here for reconnaissance," he said. "You're here for the prisoners."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because no real elven officer would risk infiltrating this camp unless the stakes were personal." He paused for a moment to look at her. "The red-haired woman. The one with fire magic. She's important to you."

Huangyan didn't respond. But her expression gave her away.

"I thought so." Theron leaned against a wall. "She's been here for over a week. Refuses to break under interrogation. Morvain's getting frustrated."

"How frustrated?"

"Very frustrated, he's going to ship her out to someone who has more patience. " Theron's expression darkened. "Three days. That's when the transport originally was scheduled to leave. After that, those prisoners disappear into the mountain stronghold forever."

"Two days," Huangyan corrected.

"Even worse." Theron looked toward the command center. "Tomorrow night. Morvain will check your story with Thalorin within the hour. Maybe sooner. You have that long before they realize you're an imposter."

"Then I need to leave. Now."

"You need to succeed first." Theron pulled a small key from his belt. It was made of black iron.

"Service entrance to the prison. The lock is on the eastern side of the building. Guards change at midnight. Skeleton crew until dawn."

Huangyan took the key. It was warm from his body heat. "Why are you helping me?"

"Because this war has gone too far. We're taking slaves now. Torturing civilians. Executing prisoners for sport." His expression grew dark. Disgusted.

"This isn't what I signed up for when I joined the eastern march."

"If I'm caught using this..."

"You'll die slowly. Morvain enjoys his work." Theron straightened from the wall. "But if you succeed, maybe some good comes from all this death."

Footsteps echoed from the direction of the command center. Multiple people were approaching fast. Their voices carried concern.

"Time's up," Theron said. "Go. Now."

Huangyan started toward the camp perimeter. The key felt heavy in her hand.

"One more thing," Theron called quietly. "Your friend with the ears. The one who's been hunting our patrols. Tell him Captain Theron of the Eastern March sends his regards."

Huangyan disappeared into the shadows between buildings. Behind her, she could hear Theron walking back toward the command center. Acting normal.

Within minutes, voices began calling her fake name. Morvain had discovered the truth.

"Find Lieutenant Silvara! Search every building!"

"Lock down the perimeter! No one leaves without authorization!"

"Alert all guard stations! We have an imposter in the camp!"

The camp erupted into a frenzy. Torches blazed to life throughout the camp. Guards ran in all directions. Orders were shouted across the compound.

Huangyan moved carefully through the chaos. Her elven disguise was now a liability. Every guard was looking for someone matching her description. The armor that had helped her blend in now made her a target.

She stripped off the most obvious pieces. The helmet. The decorative shoulder guards. Anything that would catch the torchlight.

Moving from shadow to shadow, she worked her way toward the outer perimeter. The guard presence had tripled. Patrols swept through areas that had been empty minutes before.

"Movement near the supply depot!" someone shouted.

"Check the armory!"

"Guard the prisoner complex!"

She reached the outer perimeter as search parties spread throughout the camp. The fence was higher than she remembered. Razor wire topped the wooden posts.

"There!" A guard pointed in her direction. "Movement by the eastern gate!"

Arrows whistled through the air. One grazed her shoulder as she dove behind a supply wagon. The arrowhead left a burning cut.

More guards converged on her position. She was trapped between the camp's defenses and the search parties behind her. The wagon provided cover, but not for long.

"Surround her!"

"Don't let her escape!"

"Take her alive if possible!"

That's when Echo blazed to life in the hills above the camp.

Grim's aurora energy lit up the darkness like a beacon. The brilliant light drew every eye in the compound. Guards turned toward the display.

"What is that?"

"Signal flare?"

"Attack incoming?"

Huangyan used the confusion to sprint toward a weak point in the fence. The distraction bought her precious seconds. She dove through a gap between fence posts just as guards reached her previous position.

"Intruder escaping to the east!" someone shouted.

"Pursue her!"

"Form hunting parties!"

"Alert the perimeter patrols!"

Huangyan ran through the forest toward the rendezvous point. Behind her, the elven camp was in complete chaos. Torches moved through the trees as search parties got organized.

The cut on her shoulder burned. Her lungs ached from the sprint. But she had what they needed.

The key. The intelligence. And most importantly, confirmation that Lianna was exactly where they expected.

Tomorrow night's rescue was still possible. The timeline was tight. The stakes were higher.

But now the elves knew they were being hunted.