Kael’s POV
The forest was quiet. Too quiet.
Even as Elara walked beside me, her steps careful but sure, I felt something shift in the air. An unease that crept beneath my skin like a warning. I had learned to trust those instincts long ago. They had kept me alive.
My senses sharpened. We had traveled deeper into unfamiliar territory, the trees thicker, the shadows stretching long as the sun began its descent. Luca stirred in Elara’s arms, letting out a soft noise in his sleep. Even in his weakened state, he could probably feel it too.
It seemed we had entered another Clan.
Something was wrong.
I scanned the trees, my breath steady but controlled.
“Elara,” I said quietly.
She stopped immediately, sensing the change in my tone. “What is it?”
I didn’t answer. Instead, I listened. Wat
