"Hmm, I never knew the old man was a member of the Hunters Alliance."
Enzo said it quietly, the words slipping out with a faint, bitter curve to his lips. His eyes rested on the tree line ahead, a vast forest stretching for miles, dark canopies layered like waves frozen in place.
The air carried the scent of pine and damp earth, thick enough to cling to the lungs. Somewhere deep within, something stirred, unseen but very much aware.
Right now, Enzo stood shoulder to shoulder with Titus, Zeke, and Leon, the four of them forming an uneven line. There was no conversation between them, only the shared silence of men watching a boundary they would soon cross.
A short distance away, Liana stood apart with her brothers, their formation tighter, more guarded. Her posture was rigid, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the forest without a hint of warmth.
The divide was obvious. Not just in distance, but in intent.
