Ashley almost scoffed at the thought.
But now, she was grateful for it.
Without cameras, there were no unseen eyes watching her every move, only guards she could observe, predict, and slip past. It didn't make things easy, but it gave her a chance.
And right now, a chance was enough.
If she could get past the patrols around the granary, she might be able to reach the dungeon… and find out if her mother was inside.
She stayed low in the bushes, forcing her breathing to slow, to quiet, anything that would keep her presence from drawing attention. Not far away, the patrol guards moved in steady rotations. Ashley watched them closely, tracking their patterns, their timing, their blind spots.
She waited.
Counted.
On the third pass, when they moved just beyond a ten-meter radius, she acted.
Slipping forward, she kept her body close to the ground, crawling through the underbrush as she inched toward the dungeon entrance. Every movement was careful, deliberate, and controlled.
