The morning came with a thick, rolling mist that clung to the trees like ghostly fingers. Elena rubbed her eyes, the remnants of her uneasy dreams still lingering in her mind. She sat up slowly, glancing at the dying embers of the fire. Kael was still curled up in his cloak, arms crossed tightly over his chest, while Serin was already awake, sharpening his blade with slow, deliberate strokes.
"You slept?" Serin asked without looking up.
Elena stretched, feeling the stiffness in her muscles. "Not much. You?"
Serin merely shrugged, but the dark circles beneath his eyes told her enough. None of them had truly rested.
Kael let out a groan as he sat up. "Tell me that was the worst night we’ll have, and I might actually try to be optimistic today."
No one answered.
The uneasy silence that
