bCHAPTER /bb106 /b

    They stood in a loose circle at the edge of the clearing, the hush of the forest pressing in around them. The tension that had hung between them like bfog /bnow sharpened into purpose. Saphira shifted her weight, arms folded tightly across her chest, her gaze flicking between the othersb. /b

    Niks broke the silence. “Right. Amara, you approach Ruby as soon as bwe /bget back. Try and start that friendship. The brest /bof bus /bwill contact both bgroups- /binform them what’s happening and get an update from their end.”

    Amara gave a short nod, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Sounds good.”

    The decision settled over them like a final stone in ce. Amara would be the one to face Ruby first.

    “She goes by Megan here,” Zafira added, her voice low but firm, eyes narrowing slightly. “Don’t slip.”

    Amara’s mouth tightened, her posture straightening. “Got it.”

    Saphira watched her closely, a flicker of unease tightening in her chest. She’s brave. But Ruby’s dangerous in ways that don’t show until it’s toote. Her fingers curled into her sleeves, the fabric rough against her palms. One wrong word and everything could fracture.

    Niks turned to the rest of them, his tone shifting. “While Amara’s with her, we’ll stay in the meeting room.”

    Then his gaze locked onto Saphira and Finn, sharp and unwavering. “You two need to stay out of sight. If Ruby sees either of you, it could unravel everything.”

    Saphira nodded, her jaw tight. “We’ll bbe /bcareful.” Her voice came out steadier than she felt. She already knows too much. I won’t give her more.

    Finn gave ba /bquiet “Yeah,” his bvoice /bclipped, his arms crossed as he stared at the ground.

    They started walking back toward the pack houseb, /bthe forest closing in with its usual hush. Saphira’s boots crunched softly against the earthb, /beach bstep /bheavy with the weight of what wasing. bEvery /bmove matters now. No second chancesb. /b

    Niks reached for her hand, his fingers threading through hers with a gentle bsqueeze/bb. /bShe nced at him, the warmth of his touch grounding her. She’s not going to take this from meb. /bNot again.

    Back at the pack house, Amara peeled off at the stairsb, /bher footsteps light but deliberateb. /bSaphira bpaused /bat the bbase/bb, /bwatching her bascend/b. bTrust /bher. Trust the n. Her throat tightened, but she forced herself to turn baway/b.

    The rest of them entered the meeting room. The air inside bwas /bbcooler/bb, /bstillced with the bscent /bbof /bold wood and ash. Saphira slid into a seat beside Zafira, her fingers tapping a restless rhythm against the table’s edge. The others settled in with the kind of quiet that came bbefore /bstrategy.

    Niks pulled out his phone. “I’ll try jed.”

    Finn moved to the fireceb, /bleaning against the bstone /bbas /bhe dialled. “I’ll try Asher.”

    bSaphira’s /bbeyes /bflicked between them, her pulse ticking fasterb. /bCome bon/bb. /bSomeone bpick /bbup/b.

    bNo /bbanswer/bb. /b

    bNiks /bfrownedb, /bblowering /bhis bphone /bwith a sighb. /bFinn, shook his head, balready /brediallingb, /bbhis /bthumb btense /bbagainst /bbthe screen/bb.. /b

    bSaphira /bbleaned /bbforward/bb, /bher elbows on bthe /btableb, /bbheart /bthuddingb.. /b

    The silence bin /bbthe /bbmeeting /bbroom /bstretched bthin/b, faut as bwire/bb, /bFinn band /bNiks bkept /bbtrying/b–bagain /bband /bbagain /bbut still, bno /bbanswer/bb. /bbThe /bbsoft /bbbeeps /bband /bclicks bof /bbfailed /bcalls only bmade /bbthe /bbquiet /bblouder/bb. /b

    Saphira leaned forward, belbows /bbbraced /bbon /bbher /bbknees/bb, /bbfingers /bbced /bbso /bbtightly /bbher /bbknuckles /bbached/b. bThe /bbrhythmic /bbtapping /bbshe’d /bbbeen /bbdoing /bearlier had stop

    now bher /bbhands /bbwere /bbmotionless/bb, /bbclenched /bbin/bb//bstillness. bWhy /bbaren’t /bbthey /bbpicking /bbup/bb? /bbHer /bbbreath /bbfelt /bbshallow/bb, /bblike /bher blungs /bhad forgotten how to expand fully

    bNiks /bblowered /bbhis /bbphone /bbwith /ba bsigh/bb, /bbrubbing /bbthe /bbback /bbof /bbhis /bbneck/bb. /bLet’s wait ba /bbmoment/b, he salivolcs blow /bband /bstrained bwhere /bthey bcan’t /bbspeak /b

    Saphira’s stomach twisted. Or worse. What if they’re not just busyb? /bWhat if they’re already caught in something? The thought slithered through her bmind/b. unwee but persistentb. /b

    Zafira crossed her arms, her brow furrowed deep. “I don’t like this. Something feels off.”

    Anastasia, seated near the windowb, /bnodded slowly. “I agree. It’s too quiet.”

    Saphira didn’t respond, but the unease wed at her ribs. Ruby turns up out of nowhere, spinning lies–and now neither group is answering? Her throat tightened. It’s suspicious. Too suspicious.

    Niks gestured toward the sofas by the firece. “Let’s sit. We wait.”

    They moved slowly, as if the air itself had thickened. Saphira sank into the corner of the nearest sofa, pulling her legs up slightly and bwrapping /bh around her knees. The fire crackled beside them, casting flickers of light across the room, but it didn’t reach the chill in her chest.

    arms

    Finn and Niks paced in opposite directions, their footsteps uneven, restless. Zafira sat beside Saphira, her gaze locked on the mesb. /bAnastasia stared at her hands, fingers twitching every so often like she was holding back the urge to act.

    Time stretched. The silence grew heavier, thick with unspoken fears and the weight of too many possibilities.

    Thenb–/bFinn’s phone rang.

    He snatched it up instantly, breath catching. “Asher?”

    Everyone froze.

    Saphira’s heart leapt, then mmed against her ribs. She leaned forward, eyes locked on Finn, trying to read every flicker of his expression. Please let it be good. Please let it make sense.

    “We’ve got a situation,” Finn said into the phone, voice taut. “My sister from Silvermoon is here. She’s iming a fabricated story. Something’s happening.”

    Saphira’s breath hitched.

    Finn fell silent, nodding slowly as he listened. “Mm. Yeah. Okayb./bb” /bA pauseb. /b“Understood.”

    Niks nced at Saphira, his jaw clenched. She met his gaze, her own eyes wide and searching. What is Asher saying? What aren’t we hearing?

    Finn’s expression shifted–tightening, darkening. b“/bMake sure byou /ball be careful. Keep us updated.” Then he hung up.

    Finn stood still for a moment after hanging up, his phone still clutched in his hand. The firelight caught the edge of his jawb, /bcasting sharp shadows across his bface/bb. /bThen he turned to the group, his expression unreadable but alert.

    b“/bAsher has some information,” he said, bvoice /blow. “It’sb… /binteresting.”

    bSaphira /bstraightened slightly, her arms stii! wrapped around her kneesb. /bbInteresting/b? That could mean anything. Her pulse bquickened/b. She bscanned /bbFinn’s /bbface /bbfor /bclues, but he was already moving toward the centre bof /bthe room.

    Niks bstopped /bpacing and stepped closerb. /bb“/bWhat kind bof /binformationb?/bb” /b

    Finn bhesitated/bb, /bncing bat /bthe bfire /bbas /bbif /bbthe /bwords needed bwarming /bbefore bthey /bbcould /bbbe /bbspoken/bb. /bbThey /bblook /bbto /bbbe /bbtraining /bbchildren /b

    Saphira bgasped/b, bthe /bbsound /bbsharp /band binvoluntary/bb. /bHer bhand /bbflew /bbto /bbher /bbmouth, /bbfingers /bbtrembling /bbslightly/b. bChildren/bb? /bbHer /bbthoughts /breeled. That’s not bpreparation /bbthat’s /bindoctrinationb. /b

    12:09 bMon/bb, /bb4 /bAug