The fire in the center of the clearing burned low, giving off a soft orange light that barely reached the trees. The woods around the camp were quiet, but it was not the peaceful kind of quiet. It felt tense, like the branches were listening. Even though the warband had moved far from the ruins, the weight of what had happened still clung to their thoughts.

  Maruzan sat close to the fire, slowly stirring the coals with a stick. His body ached, and every movement felt heavier than usual. He kept looking toward Nethira and Winnum, who slept on rolled blankets near each other. Their breathing was weak, but steady enough to give him hope. He wanted to check on them again, but he forced himself to stay where he was. Hovering would not help them.

  Across the clearing, Bram and Farrin worked to find food as rations were running low. Xonya stayed at the tree line, her bow across her lap in case something moved. Ennett paced a short path near the campfire, her armor shifting softly with every step. Winnum helped Azandra sit upright on her bedroll.

  Azandra blinked, her eyes adjusting to the light. Her voice came out faint and tired. “What happened?”

  Maruzan lifted his head. He hesitated a moment, thinking of all the things he could say. Then he chose the simple truth. “You were trapped under Nezzarod’s control,” he said. “We fought to get you free. Nethira and Winnum used their magic to break the binding he put on you. They pushed themselves to their limit. That is why they are like this.”

  Azandra looked from Maruzan to the sleeping pair. Her expression tightened. “They did that for me?”

  “Yes,” Maruzan said. “It was not even a question for them.” He placed a hand on Azandra’s shoulder. “You do not need to talk if you are not ready. You have been through something terrible.”

  Azandra shook her head slowly. “Holding it in hurts more,” she whispered.

  Ennett walked over and sat cross-legged near her. “What do you remember inside the ruins?” she asked.

  There was a long silence before Azandra answered. “It was like being trapped inside a dream that was not mine,” she said. “Everything felt distant, but I could still hear him. His voice was everywhere at once. He whispered about what he wanted, how everything had to happen in a certain way. I knew he was using me to pull you here.”

  Farrin, who had just returned carrying berries with Bram, frowned. “He used her as bait.”

  Azandra nodded, her fingers tightening around her blanket. “He knew you would come for me. I don’t know how. I don’t even know you.”

  Maruzan felt a heavy pull in his chest. He wondered if he should have been more cautious. But he could never have known a sorcerer was watching him. Was Elzibar and Harbinth planned for him too? And also, if he had moved any slower, Azandra might not have survived.

  Bram crouched beside the fire. “When the binding pulled him back,” he said, “it looked like we won. Like he was trapped again. But you said something right before you passed out. You said the spell did not hold him.”

  Azandra’s eyes sharpened with fear. “It did not,” she said. “I felt him slip out of it. Not forced. Not dragged. He chose to leave.”

  A cold unease spread through the whole group. Even the fire seemed to quiet at her words.

  Ennett rubbed a hand over her face. “Are you certain?”

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  “Yes,” Azandra said. “He is watching us. Maybe not here, and maybe not right now, but he is not bound. Whatever happened in that ritual, it was not enough.”

  Xonya’s jaw tightened. “Then he is even more dangerous than before.”

  Ennett looked toward the trees. “If he left by choice, it means he is preparing something. He will not attack right away. He will let the fear work on us.”

  Maruzan leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. His voice was low and steady. “Fear will not guide our decisions. We need a plan.”

  Xonya stood and moved closer to the others. “We cannot run straight at him,” she said. “He would sense a large force long before it reached him. Armies make noise. Magic makes noise. Even a scouting party can be detected if it is careless.”

  Bram straightened. “So we should get ahead of him before he gathers his strength. Strike first.”

  Ennett shook her head. “Charging in without knowing what he is building would be foolish. He is the kind of enemy who turns every mistake into a weapon.”

  Bram tapped his axe against the ground as he chewed berries, juice spitting from his mouth. “Then what is the middle ground?”

  Xonya nodded slowly. “A hunt. Careful, quiet. Not an army. A group that knows him, has faced him, and understands the danger.”

  Maruzan glanced around the firelight, seeing how the others reacted to her words. No one disagreed, though no one looked eager for the path ahead either. He felt a knot forming in his stomach. He wanted to keep everyone safe, but the truth settled heavily inside him.

  There was no safe path.

  He looked at Azandra next. “We will get you home first,” he said. “Three Corners is not far. Once you are safe, we can decide our next step.”

  Azandra lowered her head. “I am not sure I will feel safe for a long time,” she said softly. “Not until he is stopped.”

  Maruzan understood. He doubted any of them would find rest until Nezzarod was dealt with.

  Farrin took a seat on a small patch of moss. “Nethira and Winnum will need days to recover,” she said. “Maybe longer. The ritual used everything they had.” She glanced at Netheira with worry that she tried to hide. “I have never seen her push herself like that.”

  “She did it for the girl,” Maruzan said. “And she would have done the same even if the cost was higher.”

  Ennett nodded. “We owe them both. When they wake in the morning, we will decide together what direction we take.”

  Xonya looked toward the stars barely visible through the trees. “If he wanted us afraid, he succeeded.”

  “He wants more than fear,” Farrin replied. “He wants influence. He wants power.”

  Azandra added quietly, “And he wants Velthur, your son. He mentioned him. I do not know how much he knows, but he talked about ancient relics. About dreams. About bloodlines. He acted like Velthur is part of something he has been waiting for.”

  Maruzan’s chest tightened. He had suspected as much, but hearing it said aloud made it feel heavier. “Then we cannot delay,” he said.

  They all fell silent again. The fire crackled gently.

  Nethira stirred in her sleep, turning her head. Winnum’s hand twitched slightly. They were alive, but fragile. The group watched them with quiet respect.

  Ennett leaned closer to Maruzan. “You did well today,” she said quietly. “You kept us together.”

  Maruzan shook his head. “Everyone fought. Everyone risked something. It was not just me.”

  Ennett smiled slightly. “Maybe not. But you held the line when it mattered.”

  He did not answer. He was thinking of Velthur again, wondering how close the boy was to danger without even realizing it.

  Xonya stood and stretched his arms. “I will take the first watch,” she said.

  Bram rose next. “I will take it with you. The woods feel wrong. Two sets of eyes will be better.”

  Farrin pulled a blanket over Nethira’s shoulders. “Wake us if anything changes,” she said.

  One by one, the others settled down for rest. Maruzan stayed awake longest, watching the fire burn down to embers. He looked at each member of the warband, feeling the responsibility weigh on his shoulders.

  Nezzarod was free.

  And the next steps of their journey would carry them into deeper danger, whether they were ready or not.