The carriage ground to a halt near the main stables, and the two Hisponian soldiers stepped down immediately. One of them moved swiftly to the side, opening the door and offering a large, steady hand to assist her. Odesse stepped down slowly, her boots meeting the soil of her home pack for the first time in a month.
She paused, closing her eyes to take a slow, deep breath of the northern air, expecting the comforting scent of pine and fresh earth. But the moment the air hit her lungs, a sharp, bitter wave of recognition cut through her. Her face scrunched in immediate disgust, her expression hardening.
The air smelled horrible.
Odesse tightened her hands into fists, her eyes flashing with a cold, fierce glare as she looked toward the main palace solar. "Azure!" she thought, her jaw setting with absolute resolve.
Turning back to her guards, her expression softened into a composed mask. "I shall be back shortly. I have to go see someone first."
