[Day 14 — Dawn — Before moving]
Kira had left camp at four in the morning.
No one asked her to. When Alex woke at dawn, she was already back.
"The trade route," she said as soon as Alex opened his eyes. "I went to verify."
Alex sat up.
"And?"
"There are traces. Kilometer one hundred eight." Kira sat down in front of him. "Two groups. The first is established in a fixed position — they've been there for at least forty-eight hours. The second is mobile, patrolling between one hundred ten and one hundred twenty." Her amber eyes direct. "They're not adventurers. The footprint pattern is too uniform. Combat formation, not travel."
"Heralds?"
"I didn't see insignia. But I did see that the fixed group has a position that covers exactly the point where the northern route and the trade route converge." Pause. "No one without specific information places their team there."
Seraph had been right.
Alex processed that in silence.
"The Iron Pass?"
