The shopkeeper hurried toward the door to pull down the wooden shutter halfway.
"If you're staying in town," he said, glancing back at Aiden, "best get indoors and keep your head down. When the clan mobilizes, things can get chaotic near the gates."
Aiden adjusted the robe under his arm.
"I'll keep that in mind," he said calmly.
As he stepped outside, the atmosphere had completely changed.
Guards were running toward the outer walls. Clan members in armor moved with urgency. The tension in the air was thick and electric.
Aiden looked toward the direction of the gates.
Bandits.
A slow, thoughtful expression crossed his face.
Chaos was already brewing.
Aiden stepped out of the shop just as another horn echoed across the town.
People were moving quickly now. Shopkeepers pulled their shutters down. Mothers grabbed their children and hurried indoors. Guards rushed past with spears and shields in hand, boots pounding against the stone road.
The air felt tighter.
Tenser.
