(Nova POV )
We left Mara's valley at first light—moving north through dense pine and rocky gullies. The air was crisp, sharp with frost, but Mara's wards clung to us like invisible cloaks—silver threads woven into our clothes, our boots, our hair. Elias led—scouting ahead with Kael, eyes scanning ridges for movement. Rhea stayed close to me—blade ready, senses sharp. Mira brought up the rear—light-footed, watching our backtrail. The bond tugged—Damien, closer every hour—but so did something else: cold violet pulses brushing the edges of my awareness. Elara's trackers. They were hunting. We moved fast—silent, low, using gullies and shadow to break line of sight.
