Chapter 956

They left an offering there. Jude whispered thanks. Then they turned back.

Meanwhile, Serena and Scarlet moved like hunters, low and silent along the western ridge. The watchers here felt more agitated. Once or twice, mist flickered too close for comfort. But Serena remained steady, and Scarlet matched her pace without fear.

"I feel like I'm being measured," Scarlet muttered under her breath.

"You are," Serena replied. "They're watching how we react."

They found no glyphs, but they did see changes: trees with new splits, moss growing in unnatural spirals, a dead hare placed in the center of a perfectly flattened patch of grass.

"An offering?" Scarlet asked.

"Or a warning," Serena said. "But let's treat it as respect."

They left their flatcakes and a strip of scarlet cloth tied to a sapling. Then they backed away, bowing low once.