The forest was still, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and the faint smell of decay. Despite the danger that had just passed, Eryndor felt a strange peace in the silence. The moment of battle had passed, but the weight of the rune on her palm continued to burn with an intensity that made her skin prickle. Every movement seemed to send a ripple of energy through her, as though the rune was alive, pulsing with its own desires.
Seris led the way, his heavy armor creaking with each step, his broad shoulders rigid with focus. He wasn’t as quick to speak as Kaelen, but the tension in his posture made it clear that his mind was just as sharp. The path they followed was narrow, a trail winding through dense trees and thick underbrush. The occasional glimpse of distant mountains loomed a
