For half an hour, the group trudged up the hillside in relative silence. No one dared to speak and even the hounds felt increasingly subdued as they approached the hilltop. The only sounds to break the silence were the crunching of leaves and twigs underfoot and the crackling of torches lit by Sir Broll's men.
Ashlynn led the way, keeping the light at her back. After spending more than a month in the vale sleeping during the day and spending the entire night awake, she'd almost become more comfortable in the dark than in bright daylight. With the gifts bestowed by her bond with Nyrielle, her eyes had become even more capable of helping her navigate the forest at night.
"How can she tell where we're going?" one of the men whispered to a companion after Ashlynn diverted them around a deep sinkhole. "Has she been here before?"
