CHAPTER 197: CHAPTER-197.

Hearing Kaya’s voice, Veer slowed mid-step, one brow arching.

"Which one?"

She met his gaze without flinching. "You know exactly which."

His expression darkened just slightly. "You mean... that tribe?"

Kaya gave a single nod.

Veer stilled, his eyes unfocusing for a moment like he was calculating routes in his head. "We’re headed in the opposite direction. At our current pace—three days. If I push—two."

Kaya tilted her head. "And if we went faster than that?"

Veer’s brow furrowed. "My fastest?"

"No," she said, lips quirking. "Your ultra fast."

That made him blink. "What?"

But the stubborn set of her jaw didn’t waver. His gaze softened just slightly, and then—slowly—his mouth curved into a smile edged with pride. "One and a half days."

Kaya’s smirk deepened. "Perfect. Then let’s go."

Veer frowned. "What? Now?"

"Yeah. Is there a problem?"

"What about the thing?" he pressed.

She waved the concern off. "Are you serious? We leave them here. You said it’s safe, right? We get there in a day and a half, come back in under four days. Done."

His wings shifted behind him, a faint ripple of tension running through them. He gave a short nod. "Alright. No problem."

That was enough for her.

Kaya moved quickly, swapping into her usual travel gear—the same kind she’d worn when she’d first entered this world. She double-checked every bullet, wrapping them tightly in cloth before sliding them into her pocket. Her three guns were hidden in separate places—one resting against her thigh, another concealed beneath her outer layer, and the last lying flat against her ribs where it wouldn’t snag in a fight.

When she stepped out again, Veer was already ready. He’d rolled his shoulders until his wings spread to full span, the air around them humming with a faint, low pressure. His hand slid along the hilt of his blade in a practiced check, before his eyes lifted to hers with that infuriatingly confident, teasing look.

"You’re ready?" he asked, voice just a touch smug.

"Always," she replied.

"Good," he said, his smirk widening. "Then try to keep up."

Kaya was about to say something when Veer suddenly stepped closer, his arm slipping around her waist in a firm, unyielding grip. Before she could even blink, his wings snapped open—and in the next heartbeat, they were airborne.

The wind slammed against them like a living thing, tearing at her hair and stinging her cheeks. The sheer speed was staggering—faster than she’d ever seen him fly. The ground blurred beneath them, streaks of forest, rock, and water flashing by in a dizzying rush.

Kaya felt the air battering her face so fiercely it stole her breath. She tried to inhale through her nose, but it was nearly impossible, so she resorted to taking short, quick gulps of air through her mouth.

She didn’t even know why she’d let this reckless man take charge like this. Maybe because, for reasons she didn’t want to admit, when she was with him she found herself being just as reckless.

Halfway through the flight, her eyes began to sting from the dust and grit carried on the wind. She had to squeeze them shut, trusting him to navigate the roaring skies.

Veer, on the other hand, looked like he was in his element—jaw set, wings cutting the air with ruthless precision. There was a subtle tilt to his lips, not quite a smile, but something that told her he was enjoying this far more than he should.

Kaya had made Veer promise—no stopping, no slowing—whether it was day or night, they would keep flying until they reached their destination.

And somehow, unbelievably, they made it faster than she’d even dared to hope. What should have taken a day and a half... they had covered in just a day and a few short hours. The sky was still deep with early evening light when the familiar outlines of the terrain began to take shape beneath them.

From the air, the forest was still an endless sea of green, impossible to decipher at a glance—but as they descended, Kaya began to recognize pieces of it. The sharp ridge of rock to the east, the way the trees thinned in a gentle curve toward a hidden clearing. It was a partly-familiar scene, one that tugged at something in her memory.

Her gaze sharpened. There—it was her one-to-ten landmark, exactly where it should be. Relief flickered through her... until Veer banked low, bringing them toward a rocky slope at the base of the mountain.

The moment her boots touched down, her eyes lifted—and the world seemed to freeze.

The sight before her slammed into her like a physical blow. Her breath caught. Her muscles locked. It wasn’t just surprise—it was the kind of shock that stripped words from her throat entirely.

The settlement was silent—too silent.

No shouts of children chasing each other through the paths. No smoke curling from cooking fires. No chatter of women trading news. The air felt... hollow, as if a great gust of wind had swept through and carried every soul away, leaving only the shells of their lives behind.

Kaya’s boots crunched softly against the packed earth as she moved between the houses. The first gate stood ajar, swaying faintly as though someone had passed through not long ago. The place wasn’t weather-worn, not battered by storm or neglect. No—someone had been here recently.

If the villagers had left willingly, why would they leave so much behind?

She stepped into one of the homes. A faint smell of damp soil and crushed greenery clung to the air. Wild vegetables sat in a woven basket on the side, still fresh enough to suggest they’d been picked only days ago.

Then she saw it.

The ground inside was a mess—small household things scattered as though flung in haste, overturned bowls and broken baskets strewn across the dirt floor. The patterns weren’t random. Kaya had seen this before. This was what a room looked like after a struggle. Someone had fought here—grappling, knocking things over, trying to resist.

But there was no blood. Not a drop.

Her jaw tightened. Whoever had come here hadn’t just fought. They’d taken someone. And they’d done it cleanly, without leaving a trace.