CHAPTER <b>131 </b>
Once Saphira and Raven reached the top of the cliff, the wind tugged at their cloaks, carrying the mist of the waterfall in cold bursts against their skin, Raven’s hand lifted, glowing faintly as she whispered the incantation she’d used before.
Saphira hesitated for half a breath, then stepped forward, she crossed with careful precision, arms slightly out for bnce, the waterfall thundering beside her like a living wall. Raven followed, her steps light and sure.
On the other side, Jasper stood half–shadowed beneath a cluster of low–hanging branches, his posture alert but rxed. His gaze flicked toward them as they approached, one hand resting near the hilt at his side.
Saphira lowered her voice. “What’s happening?”
Jasper pointed toward the distant edge of the pack. “There was a sudden scramble. Excitement, I saw people leaving their homes–smiling, rushing toward what I’d guess is the main entrance.”
Saphira followed his gesture, narrowing her eyes. Through the trees, she caught glimpses of movement–figures darting between buildings, the energy unmistakable. That direction… yes. That’s where Finn and Amara would be <i>arriving</i><i>. </i>Her chest tightened, a flicker of hope threading through her ribs. She nodded. “That’s the front. It matches<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Jasper turned to her, brows raised. “What’s the next move?”
Before she could answer, Raven stepped forward, already pulling the map from her satchel. “I <b>can </b>try to locate a more <b>precise </b>position using a locator spell. I’ll need your blood, Saphira.”
Saphira didn’t hesitate. She unsheathed her de, the metal catching a glint of light through the canopy. Her grip tightened, and she angled the edge against her palm. The slice was clean, the sting sharp. She hissed softly through her teeth. <i>Pain </i>is <i>temporary</i>. <i>This </i><i>matters </i>more. A few drops of blood welled up and fell onto the de, dark and vivid against the steel.
She handed it to Raven, who took it with care, cing the de beside the map. Her fingers moved in practiced rhythm, tracing symbols in the air. Her voice rose in a chant that pulsed with quiet power, the sound vibrating through the leaves.
Saphira leaned in, eyes locked on the map. The blood shimmered, then began to shift–curling across the parchment in a slow, deliberate circle. Her breath caught. <i>Come </i>on. Show <i>me </i><i>something</i>. <i>Anything</i><i>. </i>She clenched her fists, resisting the urge to reach out and touch the forming magic.
The glow dimmed. The blood had formed a rough circle on the far side of the pack.
Saphira exhaled, her shoulders easing. “That’s great,” she murmured, though her mind was already spinning.
Jasper studied the map. “It’s the other side of the pack.”
She nodded, her gaze sharpening. “I know some shortcuts. Hidden trails I used to take to avoid patrols.<b>” </b>Her voice dropped, thoughtful. “But we’ll need to be
extra careful.”
She knelt beside the map, pulling a marker from her backpack. The cap clicked off, and she began drawing–thin lines through dense forest<b>, </b>small notations where cover was sparse. Her hand moved quickly, muscle memory guiding her. “Here,<b>” </b>she said, pointing. “This one leads to the right of the pack houses. Deep enough into the trees to keep us hidden.”
They leaned in, heads close, memorising the route. Saphira’s eyes flicked to each of them, gauging their focus. We need to move like one <i>body</i>. <i>No </i><i>missteps</i>.
Raven tapped the map gently. “I’ll cloak us as best <b>I </b>can, but it’s limited. We’ll need to use it sparingly.”
Jasper nodded. “I can run ahead a few times. Check for scouts<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Raven agreed, and Saphira looked at both of them, her voice firm. “Then we stay careful. No risks unless we have no choice.<b>” </b>
They packed up quickly, folding the map and stowing gear with practiced efficiency. Saphira led the way, her steps light but sure, guiding them toward the first hidden trail. The trees closed in around them, shadows thick and familiar.
The forest pressed in around them, dense and familiar. Saphira moved with practiced ease, her boots barely disturbing the underbrush. Raven and Jasper nked her, their rhythm matched to hers–silent, fluid, alert. Every step was measured<b>, </b>every nce purposeful. No one spoke. They didn’t need <b>to</b>.
<b>1/3 </b>
Saphira’s eyes flicked to the shadows between trees<b>, </b>scanning for movement. Still clear. No scent. No sound. Jasper’s gaze swept the caring start, while <b>Raven’s </b>hand hovered near her satchel, ready to cast if needed.
They bypassed the hidden trails without issue, weaving through the narrow paths Saphira had marked earlier. They moved in sync, like a single thought threading through the forest.
Then the trees thinned.
Saphira raised a hand, halting them at the edge of the first exposed opening. The clearing stretched ahead–wide, sunlit, and dangerously bare Jasper crouched beside her, eyes narrowing. He tapped two fingers to his chest, then pointed forward.
Saphira nodded once. He’ll scout. Fast and quiet. Jasper vanished in a blur, his vampiric speed slicing through the clearing like wind. Saphira held her breath, counting the seconds.
He returned just as silently, breath steady. “No one nearby,” he murmured. “We’re clear to cross. But one at a time. I’ll go first–watch from the other side.”
Saphira nodded again.
“I’ll gost,” Raven whispered, already adjusting her cloak.
Jasper darted across, a shadow against the light. Saphira waited for his signal–a subtle wave–and then stepped forward. The sun hit her face, briefly blinding, and then she was through, back behind the tree line.
Raven followed, her movements precise. <b>As </b>she slipped into cover beside them, she and Saphira exchanged a quiet nod. No words. Just trust.
Saphira pulled out the map, her fingers brushing the edges as she scanned the next route. “Same pattern,” she murmured. “Next <b>trail </b>curves east. We <b>stay </b>tight. Eyes everywhere.”
They moved again, silent and sharp, checking every angle <b>as </b>they slipped through the trees. The forest grew thinner, and soon they reached the next exposed stretch.
Saphira crouched low, pointing to a squat stone building to their left. “Warrior training grounds,” she whispered. “We need to be extra careful. I hear voices.”
Raven tilted her head, listening. “No one in sight.”
“They should be training,” Saphira said, her voice tight. “But with Finn returning… I don’t know what that means anymore.”
Raven’s eyes darkened. “Too risky to check. I’ll cloak us.”
Saphira nodded. Jasper did the same.
Raven began to chant, her voice barely audible. Saphira felt the shift–like stepping into fog, unseen but present.
“It’s time,” Raven said. “We move together. Fast.”
They slipped past the training grounds, feet swift and sound/ sight. But none of them turned. None reacted.
<i>The </i><i>cloak’s </i><i>holding</i><i>. </i><i>Keep </i><i>going</i>. <i>Don’t </i><i>stop</i>.
They didn’t breathe easy until the trees swallowed them again. As
Saphira’s heart thudded as she spotted wolves on the far side of the building–direct line of
<b>as </b>they crossed the threshold, the cloak dropped.
Saphira exhaled. “I’m d we did it that way,” she said quietly. “We got lucky.”
Raven nodded, her expression unreadable. Jasper scanned the horizon once more.
Saphira looked ahead. One <i>step </i><i>closer</i>. <i>One </i><i>breath </i><i>quieter</i>. We’re not <i>done </i><i>yet</i>.