"What?! He nearly caught you?"
The man seated behind the desk shot to his feet, disbelief etched across his face as he stared at the cloaked figure before him.
"Yes, my lord." The man struggled to steady his breathing while pressing a thick piece of cloth against his bleeding shoulder. "I was just as shocked. He sensed my presence. That has never happened before."
The dagger that had pierced his shoulder had mysteriously vanished, but the deep wound it left behind continued to pour blood.
The man behind the desk frowned.
"Your concealment has never failed you. So why this time? Did you misjudge him?"
The cloaked man slowly shook his head.
"No, my lord. After he slaughtered our men in the forest, I had a rough estimate of his strength. Since he couldn't detect me back then, I believed tonight would be no different."
He paused before adding,
"Especially when he should have been exhausted."
The room fell silent.
