LILA’S POV
The forest never felt more alive and more dangerous than that morning. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a branch, seemed amplified, a whispered warning. I walked the ridge above our camp, wings folded lightly, golden aura flickering as if sensing the tension vibrating through the trees.
Nathan walked beside me, his hand brushing against mine, a small anchor in the chaos. “You’ve been restless,” he murmured, eyes scanning the shadows. “Even for you, this feels… heavy.”
I nodded, jaw tight. “It is heavy. Ryker doesn’t strike openly yet. He tests, he probes, he watches. And I can feel it scouts are moving in. Probably small groups at first, just to see our defenses, gauge our strength.”
Ethan, who had been walking silently behind us, growled under his breath. “Let them com
