The next morning brought silence—but not the peaceful kind.
Kael stood at the edge of the clearing, gaze fixed on the tree line. Something was off. The birds were gone again. The air had a sour bite to it. And beneath the usual forest scent… there was smoke.
Not from their cabin.
From farther south.
He crouched, fingers brushing the dirt. The trail was faint, but familiar—tracks. At least four sets, heavy, deliberate, moving as one unit.
Scouts again—but this time, not to talk.
To prepare.
He growled low in his chest.
Back at the cabin, Lina was stirring. She stepped onto the porch, Kael's old shirt still wrapped around her like a shield. "Something's wrong," she said. She didn't ask—she knew.
Kael stood, brushing dirt from his hands. "They're building camps. Getting bolder. This was never a visit, Lina. This was a warning."
Her brows knit. "You think Ryken plans to attack?"
"He's not a fool. He'll wait. Wear us down. Make us feel watched, hunted. Cowards like him always fight in the shadows before stepping into the light."
A chill ran down her spine. "Then what do we do?"
Kael looked at her, something hard in his eyes. "We prepare. I'm going to the northern ridge. There's an old outpost there—one I haven't used in years. It'll give me a better view of the valley."
"I'm coming with you."
"No."
She stepped closer. "Kael—"
"I need you here, Lina," he said, voice sharper than usual. "If anything happens while I'm gone, you stay inside. Barricade the door. Don't answer to anyone but me."
She stared at him, heart pounding. "And what if something happens to you?"
He didn't answer.
Because they both knew it was possible.
He reached out and touched her cheek gently, the warmth of his hand grounding her.
"I'll come back," he said, softer now. "I have to."
Lina nodded, her throat tightening. "Then hurry."
By the time Kael disappeared into the trees, the first tendrils of black smoke curled into the sky in the distance.
Whatever Ryken was planning… it was starting.
And for the first time, Lina realized something terrifying:
She wasn't just afraid for Kael anymore.
She was afraid of what he might become… if someone tried to take her away.