Chapter 347 - Three Hundred And Forty Six

Chapter 347: Chapter Three Hundred And Forty Six

The dim light of the oil lamp flickered softly in the quiet dressing room attached to the master suite. Camilla stood in front of a tall mirror, her eyes hollow. She had removed her gown and replaced it with a sleek, tight outfit made of durable black leather and dark cloth. The clothing was designed specifically for stealth and quick movement, allowing her to move silently without making a sound.

She reached down to her thighs. Around each leg, a leather strap held a sheath. She slid two daggers into the holsters. The sound was sharp in the quiet room. She tested the weight of the weapons against her legs, making sure she could bend her knees and run without any discomfort.

Next, she grabbed a black cloak from the back of the chair. She draped it over her shoulders and pulled the dark hood high over her head. The fabric shadowed her face completely, hiding every strand of her hair. Only her eyes were visible in the darkness beneath the hood.

Camilla walked out of the dressing room and headed down the quiet, torchlit hallway toward the side courtyard entrance. Her boots made no sound against the carpeted floor.

At the courtyard entrance, Kade was waiting in the shadows. He was dressed in the exact same manner—black leather armor, dark trousers, and a deep hood pulled low over his forehead. A long sword was strapped to his waist, and several small leather pouches hung from his belt.

Beside Kade stood two sleek, powerful black horses. The animals were saddled and ready, their dark coats blending perfectly into the night.

When Kade heard Camilla’s approaching footsteps, he turned his head and bowed slightly.

"My lady," Kade whispered in a low voice. "Everything is ready as you commanded."

He reached into one of the pouches at his belt and pulled out a small glass vial along with two folded squares of dark cloth. The cloth smelled faintly of dried bitter herbs.

"I brought the sleeping powder and the antidote for ourselves," Kade explained, holding the items out to her. "This herb-infused cloth will filter out the sleeping smoke so we remain unaffected. The powder itself is strong enough to knock out a full-grown man within seconds of breathing it in."

Camilla nodded her head slowly. "Good."

She took the folded dark cloth and tucked it securely into the waist belt of her outfit. Then, she reached out her hand and took the leather reins of her horse from Kade’s grip.

Without wasting another second, Camilla placed her left boot into the stirrup, swung her leg smoothly over the leather saddle, and sat up straight on the horse. Her posture was erect and commanding despite her sore back and bruised ribs. She held the reins tightly in her leather-gloved hands.

Kade mounted his own horse right beside her with ease.

Camilla looked over at Kade under the shadow of her hood. She clicked her tongue sharply against her teeth.

"Move," Camilla commanded softly.

Both horses burst into a fast gallop, their hooves pounding against the stone driveway as they shot out through the grand iron gates of the estate and onto the dark main road leading toward the outskirts of the capital.

The night wind whipped fiercely against Camilla’s face as they rode through the darkness. The moon was high in the sky, shedding a pale silver light over their riding form. Camilla kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead, her hands gripping the leather reins with unyielding strength. Every bounce of the horse sent a dull pulse of pain through her head and lower back, but she forced her mind to ignore it. All she could think about was General Howe—the man who had ordered the hit on Damon.

After twenty minutes of hard riding, the stone-walled estate of General Howe appeared through the trees ahead.

The general’s private residence was built like a small fortress, surrounded by high fences and a huge gate. Bright stone lanterns illuminated the front entrance, where four tall, armed guards stood on high alert.

As the sound of galloping hooves echoed through the quiet night air, the four guards at the gate instantly straightened their spines. They squinted their eyes into the darkness, noticing two dark, hooded figures riding straight toward them at dangerous speeds.

"Halt!" the head guard shouted, stepping forward onto the stone path. "Identify yourselves!"

When the two riders did not slow down, the guards sensed immediate danger. Their faces grew dark and serious.

"Intruders!" the head guard yelled.

All four guards reached down, putting their hands firmly on the hilts of their swords, pulling the blades halfway out of their scabbards, ready for a violent confrontation.

Just as the horses reached the front gate, Kade moved first. He pulled hard on his reins, causing his black horse to neigh loudly, raise its front hooves into the air, and slide to a sudden stop on the stone road, creating a cloud of dust.

Before his horse could even set its hooves back on the ground, Kade leapt straight off the saddle. He flew through the air, landing lightly on his boots right in front of the two guards on the left side of the gate.

Camilla did not hesitate for a second. She pulled her horse to a halt right beside Kade’s and leapt off her saddle in the exact same motion. As her boots hit the hard stone floor, her hands moved to her thighs. She unsheathed both of her steel daggers with a sharp, metallic sound. The twin blades gleamed under the pale moonlight.

The first guard lunged at Camilla with his sword, aiming straight for her chest.

Camilla ducked her head low, dodging the swinging blade by inches. She spun her body around his right side, using his own forward momentum against him. She brought the heavy pommel of her right dagger smashing down onto the back of his neck with brutal force.

CRACK!

The guard let out a choked gasp, his eyes rolling back as his legs went limp. He collapsed face-first onto the hard stone floor, unconscious.

Beside her, the second guard raised his sword to strike, but Camilla was already moving. She stepped inside his guard, driving her elbow straight into his nose. Blood sprayed into the air as the man groaned in agony. Before he could recover, Camilla raised her foot and kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him flying backward into the gate. He hit the wood hard and slid down to the floor, unconscious.

On the other side of the entrance, Kade had already disabled the remaining two guards with quick, powerful hand-to-hand combat moves, disarming their swords and knocking them out cold against the fence.

Within less than a minute, all four gate guards lay motionless on the ground.

Camilla did not pause to admire her work. She stepped over the fallen guards, pushed open the gate, and hurried inside the estate grounds, with Kade following right behind her.