As the last of the breakfast dishes were cleared away, Ilyrana turned her gaze toward Luke, her expression as calm as ever.
"What is our next move?" she asked, her voice steady and direct.
Luke blinked, caught off guard for a moment. He had been so absorbed in the quiet of the morning and the lingering awkwardness from last night that he had nearly forgotten about their overall plan.
"Right... next move," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as he gathered his thoughts.
They were still on course to reach Virencia, the city that loomed large in their plans. Getting to Esbakan had been part of the journey, but now they had to push forward. Luke recalled the words of Mayor Horace, the leader of Balmoral, who had suggested a reliable path.
