The silence that followed the carnage felt almost artificial, as if the forest had held its breath. The stream still ran, calm, indifferent to the death that stained it. The smell of blood mingled with the smoke, permeating the air with a weight difficult to bear.

Kael remained standing, leaning on the sword stuck in the ground. The cut on his shoulder throbbed, and fatigue threatened to overwhelm him, but he stood firm—he wouldn't let the girls see weakness in his eyes.

Irelia still wouldn't let go of his hand. Her fingers were firm, almost hard, as if to ensure he wouldn't disappear again. When she finally let go, it was only to gently shove him in the chest.

"You had us worried, idiot," she said, her voice thick with anger and relief. "And you almost died in the process."

Kael smirked despite the pain.

"I survived. That counts, doesn't it?" "Close," Amelia cut in, crossing her arms. Her staff trembled slightly; not from fear, but from exhaustion after so much energy. "If you think you can play hero all by yourself, you'll end up just another corpse on the road."

"But he didn't," Sylphie interrupted softly, her voice like a calming breeze. "He came back. And that's what matters."

The princess, still supported by the natural mage, took a hesitant step forward. Her eyes, wide and teary, stared at Kael with an intensity he hadn't expected.

"Thank you," she said, her voice trembling. "I... I thought I wouldn't see any of you again."

Kael took a deep breath, fighting the weight of the emotions that suddenly hit him.

"I promised," he repeated simply.

The group was silent for a few seconds, only listening to the rush of the stream. It was Amelia who broke the moment, looking around suspiciously.

"We can't stay here. The noise... someone must have heard it. If there was that group, there are surely more."

Irelia nodded, wiping her sword on the cloak of a fallen enemy before sheathing it.

"I agree. But we need a plan. If we simply run, we risk falling into another ambush."

Kael pulled the bloody map from inside his clothes and held it out.

"They were after you. I heard the orders," he said, his voice firm. "Here are the rendezvous points they set. Moonstream was just one of them. Up ahead..." he pointed to the scrawled red circles "...they planned to set other traps."

Amelia took the map from him, her eyes scanning the lines and symbols.

"This is too detailed to be the work of mere mercenaries. Who the hell is behind this?"

No one answered immediately. The weight of the question hung over everyone.

Sylphie squeezed the princess's trembling hand.

"What matters is that we know, now. We can prevent it."

Kael ran his hand over the cut on his shoulder, grimacing at the pain.

"Preventing it isn't enough. They won't stop. Their leader spoke of a hunt. That means there are more groups scattered around. If we don't confuse or delay them, they'll catch up with us again."

Irelia lifted her chin, looking him squarely in the eye.

"You seem to have a plan."

Kael hesitated for a moment, his eyes sliding from Irelia to the princess, then back to Amelia and Sylphie. The weight of what he was about to propose burned in his mind.

"If we all stay together, we're too big a target," he said finally. "We can divide the path. One part attracts attention, while the other leads the princess down a different route."

The answer was immediate.

"Out of the question!" Irelia took a step forward, her eyes flashing. "I won't be separated from the princess. Or from you."

"And I won't keep chasing false leads while you face this alone," Amelia added, her voice hard.

Sylphie remained silent, but her gaze said she understood the logic of what Kael was proposing.

He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

"I just want to make sure she gets to Azalith alive. You know as well as I do: if we stay together, they'll try to overwhelm us with numbers."

"And what do you suggest?" Irelia asked, crossing her arms. "That you run alone again? That you be the bait to save us?"

Kael opened his eyes and held her gaze.

"If necessary."

The silence that followed was almost as heavy as the recently ended battle.

It was the princess who broke the tension, her voice soft but firm:

"I don't want anyone to sacrifice themselves for me." I've seen too much blood because of me. If we're going to die, let it be together. If we're going to live, let it be together.

Her words echoed in Kael's heart like a cold blade. He opened his mouth to respond, but found nothing. He just nodded slowly.

Irelia stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You're not alone. Never again. Understand?"

Kael swallowed, but couldn't help the small smile that escaped.

"I understand."

Amelia grumbled.

"Great. Now that we've gotten this melodramatic moment over with, can someone explain to me how we're going to get out of here before more assassins show up?"

Sylphie took a deep breath, looking up at the moon.

"I know a way. An old, little-used trail that leads out of the valley and around the points they marked on the map. It's not the quickest, but it's the safest."

"So we've decided," Irelia said. "Let's go that way."

The decision was made, but it brought no relief.

The group moved in silence, led by Sylphie, who seemed to listen to the forest more than her companions. Her steps were light, almost imperceptible, and from time to time she touched a tree trunk or let her fingers brush through the leaves, as if confirming that nature still recognized her.

Irelia followed close behind, her hand firmly on the hilt of her sword. He said nothing, but his gaze constantly scanned the shadows around him. Amelia followed, holding the staff as if it were part of his body. Her breathing was uneven, the result of the exertion of the battle, but the determination in her eyes made it clear she wouldn't complain.

Kael walked at the back of the formation, right behind the princess. He preferred to stay there: he could protect her from behind, but also observe the movements of the other three. The silence of the forest didn't comfort him. On the contrary—it seemed too artificial, as if every cricket, every owl, had decided to fall silent.

His thoughts were relentless.

"It's too easy… Sylphie talks about old, little-used trails… but if this map fell into the hands of the assassins, who's to say they don't know the same shortcuts?"

He looked at the princess, who was struggling to keep pace. There was fear in her eyes, but also an unexpected strength, as if the previous fight had awakened something within her. This only reinforced Kael's concern.

"Are we truly safe on this path?" He broke the silence, his voice low but thick with suspicion.

Sylphie didn't stop, just glanced at him over her shoulder.

"Nature doesn't lie. This is the path less traveled."

Kael frowned.

"Less traveled doesn't mean empty."

Irelia sighed, irritated.

"Always suspicious, Kael. You're alive, aren't you? You're with us now. Trust us."

He stared at her for a moment, but didn't answer.

Trust was too expensive a luxury.

Amelia, who had remained silent until then, murmured,

"I don't like this." She held up the map again, illuminated by the blue glow of her magic. "These ambush points are all scattered around, and that stream was just one of them. Who's to say there aren't other unmarked spots?"

"Exactly," Kael agreed seriously. "The enemy seems to know too much." They knew where you would be, the time, even the likely routes. This isn't just a random hunt.

The group paused for a moment. The sound of water in the distance had disappeared; now there was only the whisper of the wind through the treetops.

Sylphie lowered her head, thoughtful.

"If they know so much…"

Sylphie glanced at the princess incredulously. "Kael…"

Kael nodded as if reading her thoughts, and the next moment he touched the princess… And she fainted instantly.

The princess's body slumped gently in Kael's arms.

Sylphie's eyes widened, the green of her irises shining as if she'd witnessed a crime.

"What have you done?!" Her voice was thick with anger and disbelief.

Amelia reflexively raised her staff, the tip already shimmering with icy magic. "Kael, if this is some trick of yours, I swear I'll freeze you where you stand!"

Kael raised his free hand in a calming gesture, keeping the princess steady with his other arm.

"Relax," he said, his voice low but firm. "I just put her to sleep. A simple spell, nothing that will harm her. She's safe."

Irelia narrowed her eyes, taking a step closer, her sword still sheathed, but ready for anything.

"And why the hell would you do this without warning us?"

Kael took a deep breath, keeping his gaze serious.

"Because if I were right… there would be no time for argument."

Amelia lowered her staff slightly, but fury still burned in her face.

"Explain. Now."

He laid the princess carefully on the leaf-strewn ground, adjusting her cloak around her so as not to hurt herself. Then he placed his hand on the young woman's frail body, closing her eyes.

A subtle glow coursed through her skin, a flow of mana that seemed to expand in invisible waves. Kael's fingers glided slowly over her arms, her torso, and onto her cloak. His expression hardened.

Sylphie and Amelia glanced at each other uneasily, but remained silent. The air felt heavier by the second, as if the forest were waiting beside them.

Suddenly, Kael stopped. His gaze fixed on a specific spot on the cloak. With a swift movement, he pulled out something stuck to the fabric: a tiny caterpillar, a vivid emerald color, writhing as if ripped from a comfortable home.

It glowed an unearthly green, pulsing slightly every second, like the beating of a heart.

Kael lifted the insect between two fingers, his face illuminated by the magical light emanating from it.

"Enchanted green…" he murmured, his voice deep and full of certainty. "Enchanted with location magic."

Sylphie clapped her hand to her mouth in horror.

"So… they knew where she was all along."

"Damn them…!" Amelia growled, leaning closer for a better look. "It's a living tracker. A magical parasite. Whoever did this is someone extremely skilled in organic sorcery." Irelia clenched her fists tightly, her anger clear in every line of her face.

"So it wasn't carelessness. No matter how fast we ran, they would always find her."

Kael crushed the caterpillar between his fingers. The green glow exploded in a flash, then dissipated into the air like smoke. He wiped his hand on the ground, his gaze dark.

"Not anymore."

Amelia still looked stunned, her eyes fixed on the remaining greenish stain.

"That... that means someone was close enough to the princess to place this on her unnoticed. Maybe back in Alvenor... maybe even before the escape."

"A traitor within the court," Sylphie added, her voice low and heavy with sadness.

Irelia knelt beside the princess, checking to see if she was still breathing. Feeling the soft air against her hand, she relaxed slightly.

"What if this was just one of the trackers?" she asked somberly. "What if there's more?"

Kael nodded, still focused.

"That's why I put her to sleep. So she won't feel any pain while I check."

He ran his hand over the young woman's body again, his fingers glowing pale blue. He searched every seam, every fold of clothing, even her hair and neck. He found nothing else. Finally, he took a deep breath and stepped back.

"There was only that one."

Sylphie placed her hand on the princess's forehead, whispering soft words in her ancient language. A green aura coursed through the young woman's body, as if nature were confirming it.

"He speaks the truth. You're clean now."

Amelia, still clutching the staff, sighed, the tension easing a little.

"So we've been carrying the enemy along all this time…"

Kael closed his eyes, exhausted, but his voice sounded like iron.

"No, it's even worse." Those who kidnapped me had no information on your whereabouts… that means…

"More than one faction is after her," Irelia said.