Liora's expression flickered, a subtle shift that might have been discomfort if Kael hadn't been looking so closely. "Doesn't matter," he said curtly. "We're not sticking around to find out where they lead."
Kael hesitated. "But—"
"Drop it, kid," Liora interrupted, his voice edged with something harder than usual. "Curiosity is a luxury we can't afford right now."
Kael fell silent, though his eyes lingered on the runes as they pressed forward. The feeling of being watched—of being judged—by something unseen only grew stronger with each step. It gnawed at the edges of his thoughts, a whisper of dread he couldn't shake.