bCHAPTER /bb130 /b

    The forest thickened around them, the canopy above knitting tighter with each step. Saphira moved first, her boots sinking into the damp mustb, /bcareful not to snap a twig or disturb the hush. Her eyes flicked from shadow to shadow, tracing the curve of branches, the twitch of leaves. Too quiet. Or past quiet enough? She adjusted the strap of her satchel, fingers brushing the hilt of her de as if to reassure herself it was still there.

    Jasper followed close, his footfalls light, almost feline. Raven trailed behind, her cloak whispering against low–hanging limbs, one hand resting near her belt pouch, the other asionally brushing aside brambles with a flick of her wrist.

    Every few minutes, they froze.

    A rustle. A distant crack. The wind shifting like breath through the trees.

    Saphira would lift her hand, palm open, body rigid. Her breath caught in her throat, heart hammering against her ribs. Was that movementi? /iA seat? No–tem ilight/i. iMaybe /ia deeri. /iiMaybe/i. She tilted her head, listening. Raven’s eyes narrowed, her fingers glowing faintly for a moment before dimming again. Jasper crouched, one knee brushing the earth, gaze locked on the direction of the sound.

    They waited. The forest held its breath.

    Then Saphira nodded once, and they moved again.

    The sound of water grew louder, a low roar that pulsed through the soles of her boots. The ground sloped downward, and she pushed aside a curtain of ferns, fingers brushing the fronds like a whisper. The clearing opened before them, and the waterfall came into view–tall, silver, relentless. It spilled into wide river that carved through the forest like a de, its surface glinting with moonlight.

    Saphira stepped forward, her breath catching. iBeautiful/i. Dangerous. Trees framed the clearing, offering bcover/bb, /bbut the open space ahead shimmered bwith /bbexposure/b. She crouched instinctively, her hand brushing the earth, eyes scanning the waterfall’s edge.

    Jasper moved beside her, squinting up at the jagged climb. “bI /bcan get up there,” he murmured. “But I’ll be totally exposed.”

    Raven joined him, her hand already glowing with a soft, pulsing light. “bI /bcan shield you,” she said, voice steady. “It won’t silence you, though. You’ll still need to be careful. Quietb. /bBut the shield should hold as long bas /byou need it.”

    Jasper nodded, rolling his shoulders, the tension in his frame shifting into readiness. b“/bI can do that. Once bI /bget wind that Finn’s arrived and there’s a clear opening, I’ll signal you both to join meb./bb” /b

    Raven nced at the waterfall’s edgeb, /bher bbrow /bfurrowed. “How are we getting up there?”

    Saphira stepped forward, her gaze sweeping the terrain. Her fingers tapped against her thigh, thinking. “There should be a verge on the other side of the waterfall. It’s narrow, but climbable.” She hesitated, the weight of the next words pressing against her chest. “If it’s not there… I can transform. Fly us up. But that’s riskierb. /bToo visibleb,/bb” /b

    Raven nodded, her expression unreadable but calm. “Let’s hope the verge is there.”

    Jasper turned to her, beyes /bsharp and focused. “Once I’m at the top, where do I go for the best vantage point?”

    Saphira crouched beside the riverbank, tracing a line in the dirt with her fingertip. “Once you’re up there, look toward the pack. The outer homes are near the forest’s edge. You should be able to get close enough to see what’s happening without being detected.” She looked up at him, het voice low. “Stay in the trees. Don’t break cover.”

    Jasper studied the direction, then nodded once. “Got

    Let’s go.”

    Saphira rose, brushing dirt from her palms. This is the moment. No turning back. She met Raven’s gaze briefly, then turned toward the waterfall, her pulse steadying.

    bRaven /bbstepped /bforward, her fingers weaving through the air, blips /bmoving in aw chant that hummed with quiet power. The bmagic /bshimmered faintlyb, /bblike /bheat brippling /boff stone, and Saphira felt the air shift–denser, charged. She watched bJasper/b, his form still visible to herb, /bbut now outlined bin /bba /bsoft,

    translucent glow. There. The aura. iIt /iworked.

    Jasper nced at them, bgave /bba /bbcurt /bnod, then turned his gaze upward. The waterfall’s edge loomed bhigh/b, slick band /bbjagged/bb. /bHe crouched, muscles bcoiling/bb, /bandunched himself in ba /bsingleb, /bbpowerful /bleap–his boots barely grazing the brock /bbefore his hands found purchase. bWith /bvampiric bstrength/b, bhe /bpulled himself upward, fingers bgripping /bbstone/bb, /bbbody /bmoving bwith /bpracticed precision.

    i1172 /i

    Saphira held het breath, eyes locked on his ascent. Please don’t slipi. /iPlease don’t be caught Raven stood beside her, silent, her hand mill faintly glowing. ready to reinforce the spell if needed.

    Jasper reached the top and paused, his body pressed low against the stone. He peered over the edge, scanning for movement. Saphira’s heart theadded in her chest, each second stretching like thread pulled taut. Then–he lifted a hand, gave a thumbs up, and vanished from view.

    Saphira exhaled slowlyb, /bher shoulders easing. One part done. Now ithe /iwait.

    Raven shifted beside her, her bvoice /bsoft. “How are you really feelingb? /bBetween us.”

    Saphira hesitated, then turned slightly, her bgaze /bstill on the waterfall. “I’m keeping strong. But… I’d be lying if I said I bwasn’t /banxious Innerved. bIt’s /bbmy /bbfirst /btime bin /bba /bsituation blike /bthis.b” /b

    Raven nodded, her expression warm. “The first time I was sent out, I bwas /bbnervous as /bhellb. /bbMy /bbmagic /bbwas /boff; bI /bbcouldn’t /bbstop /bshaking. Thought I’d mess everything up.”

    Saphira gave ba /bsmall smile, her fingers brushing the edge of her cloak. “Did you?”

    “No,” bRaven /bsaid. “bOnce /bI got through it, bI /bbwas /bfine. More confident. It bjust /btakes that first push.”

    Saphira looked up at the cliff again. “Hopefully my confidence shows bup /bbefore the end. Especially if we need to help get Finn and Amara out too.”

    Raven touched her arm gently. “You’ll do great. You already are.b” /b

    Saphira nodded, her throat tight with gratitude. “Thanks.”

    Raven tilted her head. “How are you going to use your dragon to find Asher’sb?/bb” /b

    Saphira’s eyes narrowed slightly, her voice steady. “I’ll have to rely on her for that part. But if there’s one thing I’m sure of–it’s that she’ll find him. no doubts.”

    “Good,” Raven said, smiling. She opened her mouth to speak again–but a rustle cut through the air.

    Both women dropped low, instinctively ducking behind a cluster of fernsb. /bSaphira’s hand went to her de, her breath held. Then–Jasper appeared at the itop /iagainb, /bbarely visible but unmistakable. He signalled them forward.

    Saphira and Raven noddedbi, /i/beach giving a thumbs up. Raven’s hands moved againb, /bcasting a soft ripple of magic that shimmered across the river. The current stilled just enough for them to bcross/bb, /bstepping lightly over the stones.

    On the other side, they walked a ifew /ipaces and found it–bthe /bverge. Not steep. Climbable.

    Saphira ced her hand on the rock, testing its grip. She nced at Raven, who gave her a nod, and together they began the climb.

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