Chapter 44

An Hour Ago

Ryn slumped against Mira's back, the roasted rabbit settling heavy in his stomach. His amber eyes drifted half-closed, lethargy tugging his body as shadows wrapped him like a warm blanket in the night's chill.

Mira's steady stride rocked him gently, her warmth a quiet anchor.

Then, a jolt snapped him alert—his senses flared, sharp and primal.

His gaze locked onto a faint heat signature, two hundred meters back, barely a shimmer against the dark. It wasn't just a body; it was a predator, cloaked in shadow, hiding with skill that prickled his instincts.

Most amateurs with powers were easy to catch on a night like this—the subtlest muscle twitch bleeding heat, a breath warping the air's flow, a misplaced shadow shifting against the moonlight.