Grayhaven didn't sleep that night.
Lanterns stayed lit.
Doors stayed open.
Voices stayed low but steady.
Lira stood on the rooftop, looking out over the city.
She could feel it through the bond.
Resolve.
Fear.
Hope—all tangled together.
"Kael… they're really preparing," she said quietly.
He stood beside her, cloak moving gently in the night wind.
They knew this day would come, his intent replied. They just didn't know it would be us.
Below them, people moved with purpose.
Supplies counted.
Messages sent.
Paths mapped.
The Seer joined them after a while.
"The council has decided," he said.
"They will hold Grayhaven."
Lira turned.
"And us?"
The Seer met her eyes.
"You leave at dawn."
Her heart tightened.
"So soon…"
"Yes," he answered.
"The heir will pressure the city first.
You must be elsewhere—building something he can't crush quietly."
Kael felt it clearly.
Allies.
The Seer nodded.
"There are bonded pairs scattered across the borderlands," he said.
"Hiding. Surviving. Alone."
Lira swallowed.
"They'll be afraid."
"Yes," the Seer said.
"But they'll listen to you."
Kael's intent was firm
Because we didn't bend.
The Seer allowed a small smile.
"Exactly."
Footsteps sounded behind them.
The scarred woman approached, carrying a wrapped bundle.
"Provisions," she said, handing it to Lira.
"And something else."
She placed a small metal token into Kael's hand.
"No crest," she said.
"But anyone who knows Grayhaven will recognize it."
Lira looked between them.
"You're trusting us with more than safety."
The woman nodded.
"We're trusting you with momentum."
Dawn crept over the rooftops.
The city gates opened quietly.
No crowd.
No farewell speech.
Just understanding.
As Kael and Lira stepped onto the road again, Lira felt the bond shift.
Not tighten.
Expand.
The road ahead felt different from before.
Not escape.
Purpose.
She looked at Kael.
"We're not just surviving anymore, are we?"
He felt the truth settle between them.
No, his intent replied. We're gathering.
Behind them, Grayhaven stood firm.
Ahead of them, paths split toward hidden bonds, quiet resistance, and choices that would shape more than just two lives.
The heir had drawn a line.
Now
They were drawing a network.
And once bonds began to connect
No empire could pretend it didn't feel them.