The first day of travel passed without incident, which only made Arianna more nervous.

They'd left the main road shortly after clearing sight of the citadel, just as Marcus had planned. The smaller trails wound through dense forest, the canopy so thick overhead that even midday felt like twilight. It was slower going, the horses picking their way carefully over roots and rocks, but it kept them hidden.

"Too quiet," Marcus muttered, riding beside Arianna. "We should have encountered other travelers by now. Even on the back routes, there's usually someone."

"Maybe everyone's heard about the instability in Ravenwood and decided to avoid the area," Garrett suggested from behind them....