The valley had known silence for weeks. Too much silence. Birds still sang, wind still rustled through the trees, but beneath it all lurked a tension that left the rebels restless. Even Kael, who had barely been sleeping between Asha’s brutal training sessions, could feel it.
That morning, the unease broke.
Joran returned from patrol, face grim. “Scouts. Dominion scouts. Less than a mile out.”
The camp erupted into murmurs. Liora cursed under her breath. Asha snapped her bow from its case, already moving. “How many?”
“Four riders, maybe five. More could be close,” Joran answered, wiping sweat from his brow.
Kael’s chest tightened. He thought of Solas, of Dominion eyes fixed on him. Were these scouts just advance watchers—or the tip of a blade meant for his throat?
The rebels had a ch
