Laura

The afternoon air was cool and clean, carrying the scent of pine and the distant murmur of the river that bordered your estate. You’d taken to walking the grounds after lunch—an old habit, one that quieted the mind. The crunch of gravel underfoot was the only sound for miles, until a sharp rustle broke the stillness. Before you could turn, a figure stumbled from the line of trees—a woman, her dark hair catching the light, her black tactical suit streaked with mud. She hit the ground hard, breath ragged, eyes flashing up to meet yours with a look of fierce urgency.