The courtyard was dark when they moved out. Ollen had kept the torches minimal, just enough to navigate the path to the eastern edge without tripping.
Too much light too early and the swarms would orient toward them before they reached their positions. Lena had suggested that and Ollen had agreed without needing it explained twice.
No one spoke.
The guards and mercenaries moved with the steady pace of people who had done this many times before.
The only sound was the crunch of gravel under their boots in the dark.
When they reached a fork in the path, the group split up without a word. Dren and two guards headed north.
Tok and two others kept going straight toward the center. Skall and the last two guards turned south.
Lena went with Tok's group.
She didn't stay for long.
Once she had the layout of the center position in her head she moved north toward Dren's group, keeping to the edge of the path where the grass was shorter.
