The following morning, the group set out early, their path leading deeper into the forest. The air was damp with the promise of rain, and the dense canopy above seemed to close in, casting the world in muted greens and browns. Eryndor felt the quiet hum of the runes growing louder, more insistent, as if sensing something on the horizon.
Kaelen moved ahead of them, his keen eyes scanning for threats. Seris walked beside Eryndor, his silence a shield against the tension that hung between them.
“We’re being followed,” Kaelen said abruptly, halting and glancing back.
Eryndor stiffened, her hand instinctively moving to the hilt of her blade. “How can you tell?”
Kaelen gestured to the surrounding trees. “The birds are too quiet. The shadows are moving when they shouldn’t be. Someone’s been t
