The forest loomed before them like an open maw, with shadows stretching endlessly under pale moonlight. Celia stood at the edge of the clearing, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her de as she felt the weight of night pressing down on her. His retreat only made her all the more uneasy. Every step they took was like walking into a trap, but she could not ignore the pull of the bond, the blessing driving her forward.


    "We shouldn''t be out here," Marcus said, his voice low but firm as he scanned the trees. "The pack needs us back at camp. If the rogues attack—"


    "They won''t," Aziel broke in, his voice cutting short. He stood a few feet ahead, his tense posture unyielding. "The rogues are baiting us. If we do not push forward now, they will have the upper hand. We cannot give them that." Celia looked between the two men, her heart hammering in her chest. She got Marcus''s worries-turning their back on the pack felt haphazard, especially following Toran''s betrayal. But Aziel was correct. The rogues were not going to wait. They had one chance to stop the lieutenant and that was now.


    "I''m with you," Celia said, moving closer to Aziel. Her voice was steady, but the knot in her stomach tightened as she nced into the shadows ahead. "Whatever happens, we face it together."


    Aziel''s gaze softened for a moment before he nodded. "Together."


    Marcus sighed, his hand resting on the hilt of his de. "This better not get us killed."


    They all went ahead; the forest had stopped speaking save for the crunching leaves under their boots. The mark on Celia was throbbing faintly; she knew it was pulsing regrly, guiding her every step even as darkness enveloped them. She felt the blessing throb beneath her skin and grow stronger with every pace.


    "They are near," she whispered, barely making a sound.


    Aziel turned to look at her, his face grim. "How do you know?"


    "The blessing," Celia said, admitting. "It''s. drawing me. Like it knows where we need to go.


    Marcus said something under his breath, but he did not argue. They pushed on, tension in the air building at every second. The woods seemed to close in over them; the trees formed ominous shapes that threw jagged, long shadows around the forest floor.


    Celia''s breath hitched as she heard the rustle from the left. She halted, her heart racing while she searched the trees for a movement. "Did you hear that?


    Aziel''s hand shot up, and they stopped. He turned slowly, his eyes narrowing as he listened intently. The forest was silent again, but the unease crawling along Celia''s skin refused to fade.


    "Stay close," Aziel said, his voice a low growl.


    They moved cautiously, their senses on high alert as they navigated the dense underbrush. Celia''s mark red suddenly, the heat sharp and searing. She gasped, clutching her arm as the energy surged through her like a shockwave. "Celia?" Aziel was at her side in an instant, his hands steadying her as she stumbled.


    "They''re here," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I can feel them.


    Marcus drew his sword, his eyes scanning the shadows. "Where?"Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Before someone could answer, a low growl echoed through the trees. The sound was deep and guttural, sending chills racing down Celia''s spine. Aziel stepped forward with his ws extended, preparing himself for the attack. "They''re surrounding us," he said, his voice tensed.


    The first rogue stepped out from the darkness, its red eyes glowing like embers. It snarled and bared its teeth as it leapt at them. Aziel intercepted, his ws slicing through the air in deadly precision.


    More rogues came forth, their forms flowing like shadows between the trees. Celia raised her de, the blessing within her ring as she battled to keep the enemy from separating them. The battle was a melee of snarls and shing des filling the air as they fought their way through the onught.


    "Don''t let them separate us!" Aziel shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.


    Heart in full palpitations, Celia leaped toward him, swinging her de and slicing away those rogues who moved a step too close. Blessing flowed through her and illuminated the surrounding gloom by the light she found upon her mark; building energy and threatening to unleash out of control.


    Aziel called to her, a warning call bringing Celia back to present thought as she pressed the rising energy beneath its rule again.


    The rogues pushed forward, an endless tide of faces. Celia''s arms screamed with pain, her breath tearing in ragged gasps as she fought to hold her own. She saw Marcus at her right side, the precision of his movements swift and efficient as he sliced down around him.


    It wasn''t enough. They were outmatched, and the rogues did not appear to be going anywhere.


    "Aziel!" Marcus''s cry snapped her attention to his face.


    She spun in time to see a great rogue sledge-hammering across the moonlit clearing. Its ws gleamed wickedly, and Aziel turned to meet the beast. However, the rogue was faster. It hit Aziel like a hammer, pounding him into the ground. "Aziel!" Celia''s voice cracked as she flung herself forward and the blessing within her red to life.


    The light from her mark exploded outward, blinding the rogue as she drove her de into its side. The creature let out a deafening howl before copsing to the ground, its body lifeless.


    Aziel struggled to his feet, his breathing heavy as he met Celia''s gaze. "Are you all right?"


    She nodded, though her heart was still racing. "You?"


    "I''ll live," he said, his voice rough.


    The other rogues backed off, their shapes melting into darkness as quickly as they appeared. Celia remained stock-still, her de quivering in her hand as she watched them leave. "Why did they run?" Marcus asked warily.


    Aziel''s face turned ck. "They got what they wanted.


    Celia''s stomach twisted up as the weight of his words settled over her. She looked around the clearing, her eyes scanning the ground for any sign of what the rogues might have taken. But there was nothing-no sign of victory, no sign of loss. "What did they want?" she asked, barely above a whisper.


    Aziel''s blue eyes met hers, welling with a mix of anger and sorrow. "This wasn''t just an attack," he said, his voice low. "It was a message."


    \---


    As the three turned back toward camp, Celia''s mark red for the third time, hot and sharp. She cried out, clutching at her arm as a single word repeated through her mind a breath that made her shiver. "Traitor."