Her Graceful War Song novel Chapter 1265

As Rafael and Dylan walked, their eyes swept over every corner, searching for any hidden passages that might connect to other areas.

Suddenly, the sound of a whip cracking echoed from ahead, followed by a muffled grunt.

Then the leader's voice rang out, sharp and angry. "Have you forgotten the rules? Keep your eyes forward. No looking around!"

The man who had been struck with the whip was the one carrying the torch in front of the leader. A deep gash appeared on his back, the mark of a brutal strike.

The man winced but didn't dare cry out. He immediately steadied himself, lifting the torch high and marching forward with steady, deliberate steps.

Rafael and Dylan exchanged glances.

The discipline here was strict.

-

Meanwhile, Carissa and the others had already dragged Tiberius into the passage and were moving forward. Not far ahead, a group of burly men was transporting the grain. The passage was too narrow for carts, so each man carried a heavy sack on his shoulder, trudging along with great effort.

There was a lot of grain, so the men would likely make several trips tonight, or perhaps even over several nights, to transport all of it.

As they ventured deeper, they found that the tunnel branched off into several paths. Each one was sealed with a door, and they would only know where they led after opening them.

Everett and Carissa took note, keenly observing the doors to see if they matched the markings on the map. If they aligned, it would confirm the authenticity of the map, making future exploration much easier.

Along the way, the burly men paused to rest, but only briefly before continuing their laborious trek. The heavy sacks of grain bent their backs, but despite the strain, they moved with practiced efficiency. Clearly, carrying such loads was second nature to them.

After nearly two hours of walking, the flicker of a torch appeared ahead, signaling that someone was coming to relieve them.

Carissa and the others were some distance behind the group transporting the grain. As the men were much taller than her, she couldn't see who was approaching.

Rafael and Dylan sprang into action, chasing after the snakes. Watching the snakes head toward the pile of grain, they couldn't step on them or strike them, and it scared Tiberius' people, who began to retreat step by step.

"Over here!" Dylan shouted, bending low to grab one of the snakes. He managed to seize the adder by the head, but the next moment, he screamed in alarm. "I've been bitten! I've been bitten!"

He flung the snake forward, and it landed right on the leader. The man yelped in panic, swatting at the snake with frantic gestures. The others rushed forward to help.

In the confusion, Rafael and Dylan quickly stripped off their black clothes and veils, revealing their worn, grimy clothing underneath. They swiftly and silently maneuvered to Tiberius' side of the cave and retreated slowly.

Hearing Dylan's shout, Carissa knew that they had successfully infiltrated the grain transport group. Though she hadn't yet seen him, the knot in her stomach began to ease.

Once the snake incident had passed, the men resumed their task of transporting the grain.

Throughout the process, no words were exchanged. The sacks were dropped and quickly replaced, and the men returned to their task, seemingly ready to repeat the process several times throughout the night—or perhaps for the next few days.