Getaway [1]

The darkness descended as the carriage came to a stop for the night. The faint crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the night sky. The black sky extended across, with stars sparkling like little diamonds. The trees rustled in response to the night air. The bonfire crackled sometimes, breaking the night's calm.

Harsha was drinking soup provided by the chef, who traveled with his entourage to respond to his requirements.

"If they wanted to assassinate, why didn't they use a standard poisoning method?" Viswa inquired in hushed tones.

"They might want to use this situation to frame someone else. If I am poisoned, their first suspect will be in the empire, not outside. But in turn, if I am assassinated on the border, it can be manipulated into the nearby kingdom's doing."