The stillness of the glade was deceiving.
The pond sparkled like polished glass, reflecting the filtered sunlight through the canopy above. The supposed token lay partially buried at the water's edge, its faint shape just visible beneath a thin layer of slick mud and grass, looking as harmless as a pebble.
But Kai's gut screamed otherwise.
He'd seen this kind of setup before—during one of his training missions with Veyne in the border swamps. Calm water was rarely just calm. Especially when the forest was enchanted to mislead.
"What do you think?" Riven asked, scanning the trees, dual blades ready.
Kai crouched near a cluster of mushrooms. "It's not an illusion. The token is real. But the moment anyone grabs it…"
He trailed off, brushing his fingers through the nearby grass. Still damp. Crushed slightly.
"Someone tried before us," he muttered.
Riven moved beside him, kneeling. "There's drag marks. Something pulled them. No blood."
