As Cassian, Keren, and Morren left the village, the weight of the old woman's words followed them like an unseen shadow. The sky had begun its slow descent into dusk, painting the horizon with streaks of orange and deepening purple.
The wind carried the scent of distant fires and the faint smoke as it rose from the countless small houses to cook food. It was serene, only if the city would not have been in upcoming danger.
Their pace was steady, but their faces were filled with unmasked urgency. They needed to talk. They needed to find answers.
It wasn't long before they spotted Oronik and Alistair's group waiting near the outskirts of the village. The two senior knights stood with the remaining trainees, their stances wary as if they had already sensed something was amiss.
Cassian met Oronik's gaze first. "We need to go back. Now."
