Chapter 4 — The Rival’s Shadow

Third Person

The faint strains of music floated on the evening breeze, a haunting melody that coiled through the night air, tightening in Sera’s chest like a phantom’s grip. From her vantage point at the edge of the camp, the rival troupe’s encampment glowed against the twilight like a dangerous ember, poised to consume everything she held dear. Lanterns hung from their wagons, casting exaggerated shadows that danced like restless spirits over the polished surfaces of machinery and the bustling performers. The sharp metallic tang of grease and the acrid burn of smoke mingled in the air, a stark contrast to the rich, earthy scent of sawdust and sweat that defined her own troupe.