Kael’s POV

The report came at dawn: scouts had sighted movement near the northern valley. I ordered full readiness. Mira insisted on joining; she was steady in voice, unreadable in her eyes. I didn’t argue , I needed the distraction.

We left the fortress in formation, five units wide. The morning was unnervingly quiet; the wind carried no scent of smoke. Roe tracked prints that vanished at intervals. Lyra took the high ground, her signals precise. I kept my focus on the mission, not on the ...