AURORA


    I flinched as I felt a touch from behind me and turned to see Evelyn. She ced her finger on her lips to shush me, then took my hand and quickly led me behind a big tree.


    “Nothing is here,” the man said as he turned and left.


    “Could be a wild cat,” the other replied.


    He shrugged and sat back down. I held my chest and took a deep breath.


    “Thank you,” I mouthed to Evelyn.


    She nodded at me and said, “Come with me.”


    We reached a clearing where I saw Trajan and Piper pacing as they waited for us.


    “What’s the n?” Trajan asked softly, his tone firm, though the urgency of the situation was clear.


    I hesitated. My head was hot, and the need to decide on one thing only seemed to freeze my brain.


    “I… I want you two toe up with something. My head’s such a mess right now,” I said sharply, my voice rising a little in frustration.


    into the ravine,” she suggested. “The terrain gives us the upper hand there.”


    Trajan nodded slowly, considering the risk but finding it doable. “Riskier, yet doable; we just have to lead them well.”


    I gave them both a determined nod. “Then let’s get going. I trust you two.”


    The two moved inplete silence, each step tactically executed.


    Piper was upfront, moving slowly and precisely with her direction within the dense woods; Trajan followed her, asionally turning back toward me for assurance.


    As we neared the army, I took a deep breath as I saw how armed. they were. I turned to Piper and whispered, “Piper, how sure are you about this ravine n?”


    “Sure enough to risk it,” she replied withplete confidence. “We can’t afford to let them report back to Orion.”


    Trajan chimed in dryly, “We’ll split them up and make them think they’re chasing shadows.”


    I nodded, proud yet anxious as they took over. I kept hidden while they executed the n, observing from behind the shadows.


    A shrill whistle blew from Piper, and in a sh, the rival army took up their arms and advanced uphill in her direction.


    Trajan took that as a sign to nk them, shifting a smaller


    They got caught one after another trying to form a formation.


    Then a young wolf on our side dove into the battle, his defenses down from a stray arrow. Piperunched herself forward without thought to herself, her body covering his.


    “No!” I hissed, my heart racing.


    It was then that Warrick emerged from the trees, hist eyes with horror as he saw Piper in danger.


    Charging forward without a second thought, he tackled the enemy, creating an opening for her to break free.


    wide


    When the fight was finally over, we regrouped at the forest’s edge. I couldn’t help but notice how often Warrick shot Piper a sideways nce, his eyes tight with a mix of guilt and relief.


    “Piper,” I whispered softly, “you need to talk to him. Now.”