A cold mountain wind cut through the narrow pass, carrying the scent of pine and distant snow. Three figures moved steadily along the rocky path, their cloaks billowing behind them as they navigated the treacherous terrain. Two days had passed since they'd departed Lysora County, and the administrative district's gleaming towers were now just a memory on the horizon.
David led the way, occasionally pausing to consult the rough map Salomonis had drawn. Behind him walked Elara, her once-commanding presence now deliberately subdued. The enchanted contacts had transformed her piercing red eyes to a common brown, while the powder had temporarily concealed her distinctive tattoos. With her black hair partially hidden beneath a traveler's hood, she appeared unremarkable—just another wanderer on the road to the capital.
