CHAPTER 25: CHAPTER 25 - ON THE ROAD

They left before the sun cleared the eastern trees. Two carriages—the sisters in the first, supplies in the second—rolled out with a small escort of six house warriors on horseback: two ahead, two flanking, two trailing with spears and short bows wrapped against dust.

The Ravenscroft crest burned dull red on the carriage doors, not glossy bright; the house had never been the sort to care about such extravagance.

Morena settled opposite Alina, the spear’s head wrapped and tied above them, her mother’s dagger at her belt, the light armor hidden under a travel cloak. Outside, the city paths gave way to long fields of grass, and stone gave way to packed dirt.

The ride wasn’t smooth, but they weren’t there for comfort to begin with, so Morena paid very little mind to it.

"First night we stop just beyond the city marches, this should be your first time outside, right?"

Alina said, peeking through the curtain slit, observing the landscape outside.

"You’re right."

Morena nodded in agreement. From her memories, the Morena of the past had never left the city; the furthest she had ever gone was atop the city walls in order to cause trouble with Edric.

"There’s an old post house everyone uses. Safe as it gets."

Her sister finished explaining, having done this trip multiple times already. She wanted to put her sister at ease, or at least make this trip less daunting for her.

At least, she thought she would be nervous leaving the city for the first time. Truth be told, Morena was actually quite excited to see outside the walls for the first time.

"And the second night?"

Morena asked, though she already had some information as to where they would be staying.

"The forest."

Alina’s mouth tilted, half-grim, half-excited.

"Close enough to the Blackbear grounds that there wouldn’t be any issues, at least any major ones. We’ll post a watch. Bandits aren’t common this close—but common and never are different words."

"Mhm."

Morena didn’t bother replying much further; she let the rhythm of wheels and hooves drum into her bones. Beneath the cloak, she eased her breath into the concealment pattern and felt the energy disperse—letters anchoring, current thinning across skin, pulse going soft at the surface.

[Concealment stable. External detection probability: Low.]

She let the carriage’s sway do the rest. The road unspooled through the day—they passed by a few small border villages, which were more like gatherings of houses than proper villages. The noon heat faded into a cold calming breeze that carried the songs of birds.

When they halted at dusk at the expected post house, everything was routine and ordinary, and she was glad for it.

While some action might seem enjoyable to those that lived for adventure, Morena did not. She preferred the peace of research, at least until she was certain she had the strength to survive.

The night was calm, peaceful even. The ambiance of the environment outside the city was much more enjoyable than the bustle of city life. The stars were clear in the sky; she even recorded them with her AI in case they came in handy.

They passed the time chatting, trading casual conversations, and finally resting the night away—only to leave at the crack of dawn the next morning once more.

On the second day, they pushed farther, and the road was soon enough surrounded by tall trees that towered above the skies like pillars, their leaves acting like a ceiling over the forest floor, stitching light into a mottled net.

The air had grown much cooler thanks to the river that ran through the forest. Yet thankfully, the road remained peaceful. That night, they stopped and set up camp near a clearing; the warriors of the family had checked the area for any danger.

The camp was simple—two small fires, the carriages pulled close in a half-circle, bedrolls laid out beneath stretched canvas. The warriors moved with quiet discipline, posting a watch as the sun melted into streaks of orange and violet.

Morena sat by one of the fires, her cloak drawn close around her armor. The heat licked her face while shadows moved across the forest clearing, branches creaking overhead. She closed her eyes briefly, letting the murmur of the flames and the steady rustle of the river fill her ears.

Alina plopped down beside her, tugging free her boots with a groan.

"Much rougher than the post house, isn’t it?"

She muttered, though there was a flicker of eagerness in her tone.

"But I’ve always liked this part better."

Morena turned her head slightly.

"Because it feels more like the hunt itself."

Her younger sister grinned faintly.

"Exactly. It’s the waiting, the air is different here. Like everything’s just free, without anyone watching you, or people judging you."

Morena studied her profile in the firelight—to her, the girl before her, who was the pride of the family, who had trained so hard as a warrior since she was young, seemed to finally act her age.

"I see why Father sends you to these gatherings."

Morena said with a smile.

"You truly do enjoy them, don’t you? Well, I would expect nothing else."

Alina blinked, then laughed.

"That almost sounded like a compliment. Careful, sister. I might start thinking you like me."

Morena smirked faintly.

"Don’t push it."

They let the fire speak for a while after that. Morena fed a stick into the embers and listened to the crackling. Beneath the concealment, her energy flowed steadily. Just because they had warriors with them didn’t mean she was going to lower her guard.

She was always prepared.

It was then that one of the guards approached, spear in hand, visor lifted to show a weathered face.

"Miladies. We’ve swept the perimeter. No tracks nearby. Still, best not wander from the firelight."

Alina gave a nod.

"Understood. Thank you for your hard work."

"It is my pleasure, Milady."

The man inclined his head and moved back to the trees where another warrior waited.

Morena stretched her legs out, her thoughts drifting. The journey had been uneventful—blessedly so—but she couldn’t shake the sense that this was the calm before the strike. Not here, perhaps, not tonight, but she knew this Blackbear Hunt wouldn’t be simple.

Tomorrow, they would reach Blackbear City. Tomorrow, they would walk among nobles who measured worth in power, reputation, and bloodline. Tomorrow, her name would weigh heavier than the blade at her hip.

For now, she pulled her cloak tighter and leaned back against her pack.

"Sleep."

Alina said beside her, voice softened.

"I’ll take first watch with the men."

Morena opened her eyes just long enough to meet her sister’s gaze, then closed them again.

"Wake me when it’s my turn."

The forest hummed with quiet life—the chirp of insects, the faint rush of the river, the occasional crack of a branch shifting in the wind. Morena breathed slow, feeling the letters within her pulse faintly in time with her heartbeat.

She let the world dim. The night held, and for now, all was still.

Tomorrow would not be so forgiving.