The war room was alive with hushed urgency. Maps sprawled across the table, illuminated by the flicker of oil lamps. Lyra traced possible Hunter supply routes with a trembling finger.
"We hit here," she said, "then here—disrupt their convoys before they reach the Rift."
Nova nodded sharply. "We move at dawn. Stealth and speed. No unnecessary risks."
Artemis leaned forward, feeling the weight of leadership settling on her shoulders. "Elara, what about our bond? Can we use the Beacon's power to shield the strike team?"
Elara smiled softly. "Already working on it. I've been tweaking the synchronization frequency. It should mask our presence—at least for a little while."
Artemis's gaze met hers. "You always surprise me."
Elara's cheeks flushed, but her eyes held steady. "We're stronger together. You know that."
Later, under the quiet night sky, Artemis and Elara found a moment away from the plans and preparation. The camp was still, the soft hum of the forest surrounding them.
Artemis reached for Elara's hand, fingers intertwining naturally.
"I keep thinking about how far we've come," Artemis whispered. "From strangers in a strange world… to this."
Elara leaned closer, voice tender. "And I'm not going anywhere."
Artemis's heart raced as the stars above seemed to shimmer brighter.
"We fight for this—us—for everyone," Artemis said, her voice fierce and gentle all at once.
Elara smiled, brushing a stray lock of hair from Artemis's face. "No matter what the Rift throws at us, we have something worth fighting for."
They stayed like that, a quiet promise hanging between them, as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon.