Chapter 12: The Whispering Road

The night seemed endless as they followed the narrow road winding away from Vreyne. The faint glow of the moon cast the rocky path in silver light, but the shadows between the cliffs seemed to stretch unnaturally, as if alive.

Serenya walked close to Drenic, her every nerve taut as she listened for sounds of pursuit. Each rustle of wind and snap of a twig sent her heart racing.

“How far do we go before we stop?” she asked, her voice low.

“As far as we can,” Drenic replied. His tone was steady, but there was a tension in his posture that made it clear he was just as uneasy as she was.

“They’ll keep following us,” Serenya murmured, her hand brushing against the pendant beneath her cloak.

Drenic glanced at her, his gray eyes narrowing. “Not if we make it harder for them.”

“How do we do that?”

“Disappearing isn’t just about running,” he said. “It’s about leaving nothing for them to follow. No trails. No witnesses. No patterns.”

His words sent a chill through her. She wondered if he was speaking from experience—and what kind of life had taught him these rules.

By dawn, the road had led them into a wide ravine flanked by jagged cliffs. The sound of rushing water echoed faintly in the distance, and a thin mist clung to the ground like an unwelcome guest.

Drenic stopped, scanning the area before gesturing toward a narrow path leading down into the ravine.

“We’ll head that way,” he said. “Stay close.”

Serenya nodded, following him as they descended the rocky trail. Her boots slipped on loose gravel, and she grabbed at the jagged cliff wall for support.

“Careful,” Drenic said, glancing back at her.

“I’m trying,” she muttered, her frustration growing.

He smirked faintly. “You’re doing better than most.”

“That’s not comforting.”

At the bottom of the ravine, they found a shallow stream cutting through the rocky terrain. The water was clear and cold, reflecting the pale light of the morning sky.

Drenic crouched by the stream, cupping his hands to drink. “We’ll follow this for a while,” he said. “The water will hide our scent and make it harder for anyone to track us.”

Serenya knelt beside him, splashing the cool water on her face. It was refreshing, a brief reprieve from the constant tension that gripped her.

“How did you learn all of this?” she asked, her curiosity finally spilling over.

Drenic straightened, wiping his hands on his cloak. “You don’t survive in my line of work without picking up a few tricks.”

“And what is your ‘line of work,’ exactly?”

He smirked, his gray eyes gleaming with mischief. “Let’s just say I’m good at getting into places I shouldn’t be—and getting out when things go wrong.”

Serenya frowned but didn’t press further. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the full extent of his past.

As they followed the stream, the ravine began to narrow, the cliffs pressing closer together. The air grew cooler, and the sound of the water became louder, almost deafening.

Serenya shivered, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders. “This place feels… wrong,” she said.

Drenic nodded, his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger. “Old magic lingers here. Not as strong as the Wilds, but enough to make your skin crawl.”

They pressed on in silence, the oppressive atmosphere weighing on them both.

Hours passed before they reached a break in the cliffs, where the ravine opened into a small clearing. The stream widened here, pooling into a shallow basin surrounded by moss-covered rocks.

“We’ll stop here,” Drenic said, setting his pack down. “Get some rest while we can.”

Serenya sat on one of the rocks, her body aching from the long trek. She pulled a piece of bread from her satchel and nibbled on it, though her appetite was faint.

Drenic sat across from her, sharpening his dagger with a small whetstone. The rhythmic scrape of steel on stone was oddly comforting, a reminder that he was prepared for whatever came next.

The quiet was broken by a faint whisper.

Serenya froze, her heart pounding. “Did you hear that?”

Drenic looked up, his expression tense. “Hear what?”

“The whispering,” she said, her voice trembling.

He frowned, rising to his feet. “Stay here.”

“No—”

“Stay here,” he repeated, his tone firm as he moved toward the edge of the clearing.

The whispering grew louder, a haunting cadence that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. Serenya clutched her pendant, the pulse of its magic steadying her as she tried to focus.

“Something’s wrong,” she whispered to herself.

The shadows at the edge of the clearing began to shift, coalescing into a shape. It was humanoid but featureless, its form made entirely of smoke and darkness. Its eyes glowed faintly, twin pinpricks of crimson light.

Drenic stepped back, his dagger raised. “Serenya, stay behind me.”

The creature stepped forward, its movements unnaturally fluid. When it spoke, its voice was a low, guttural rasp.

“Oracle,” it hissed. “You cannot hide.”

Serenya’s blood ran cold.

Drenic lunged at the creature, his dagger slicing through its smoky form. The blade passed harmlessly through, and the creature laughed, a sound that sent shivers down her spine.

“It’s magic!” Serenya shouted. “Your weapons won’t work!”

“Great,” Drenic muttered, dodging as the creature lashed out with shadowy tendrils. “Any ideas?”

Serenya closed her eyes, reaching for her gift. The pendant beneath her cloak pulsed, its magic flaring to life as she whispered, “Show me what to do.”

A vision surged through her mind: the pool of water, glowing faintly with magic. The creature stepping into it, its form unraveling.

Her eyes snapped open. “The water!” she shouted. “Get it into the water!”

Drenic didn’t hesitate. He dodged another strike from the creature, maneuvering around it to drive it closer to the stream.

The creature snarled, its tendrils lashing out wildly. Serenya grabbed a branch from the ground, using it to deflect one of the attacks.

“Keep moving!” she yelled, her voice trembling with adrenaline.

Drenic feinted left, drawing the creature toward the shallow pool. As it stepped into the water, the runes Serenya had seen in her vision flared to life, their golden light spreading across the surface.

The creature let out a piercing shriek as the magic engulfed it, its form unraveling into wisps of smoke.

Within moments, it was gone.

The clearing fell silent, the only sound the soft trickle of the stream.

Serenya sank to her knees, her body trembling from the strain of using her gift. Drenic moved to her side, his breathing heavy but steady.

“You all right?” he asked.

She nodded weakly. “I’m fine.”

He helped her to her feet, his expression unreadable. “You keep pulling us out of trouble. Whatever you’ve got in that head of yours—it’s working.”

“For now,” she murmured, her gaze drifting to the pool. The runes had faded, leaving the water calm and still.

Drenic followed her gaze. “They’re getting bolder,” he said quietly. “Whoever’s sending these things isn’t just trying to kill you. They’re trying to break you.”

“They won’t,” Serenya said, her voice firm despite the fear gnawing at her.

Drenic smirked faintly. “Good. Because we’ve got a long way to go.”

As they left the clearing, the shadows of the ravine seemed to stir, but Serenya didn’t look back.

Whatever hunted her, she would face it head-on.

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