Kiel let out a long, slow sigh and finally lay back against the wagon's roof, staring up at the pale afternoon sky.
"Maybe you're right, Mr. Klaus," he muttered, the edge gone from his voice.
Ulon chuckled from the driver's bench and flicked his reins loosely. "That's the spirit, kid. Be a grown man and accept whatever the gods throw at you. Preferably with snacks or rocks."
Maddy shot him a look from inside the wagon. "That's the worst advice I've ever heard."
"Still advice," Ulon replied cheerfully.
The conversation thinned after that. Not because there was nothing left to say—but because no one wanted to say it. The wagon never slowed. Wheels creaked rhythmically against stone, and the rocky plain rolled past them in waves of gray and brown, broken only by stubborn shrubs and the occasional crooked tree clinging to life.
They passed around hard bread and a water skin. Kiel chewed absently, clearly tasting nothing. Ulon periodically scooped water and splashed it over Molly's broad back, the rhinoceros huffing in mild appreciation as steam hissed faintly off her heated hide. She was enduring the journey well, but even she wasn't immune to the sun.
Above them, Zevy never once landed. The hawk circled high, sharp eyes sweeping the land below, wings cutting clean arcs through the air.
They reached their destination shortly before dusk.
The terrain dipped into a shallow basin surrounded by broken rock walls and sparse trees—defensible, open enough to spot trouble, and mercifully quiet. Shane guided Molly away from the wagon with a firm pat, inspecting the ground with a practiced eye.
"Camp here," he decided. "We won't be seen easily, and we'll hear anything that approaches."
Maddy climbed down first and stretched, arms raised as her back popped. "Finally. If I sat any longer, my legs were going to fall off."
Petra followed more carefully, boots touching the ground one at a time. She inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself—only to flinch sharply when a branch rustled above her.
Maddy glanced up and snorted. "It's just a hummingbird, Petra. Not a phoenix. Relax."
Petra nodded quickly, embarrassed. "R-right. I know."
Shalotte stepped down last, staff clutched close, eyes sweeping the area in cautious arcs. He muttered something under his breath, then adjusted his grip and took a step closer to the wagon, just in case.
Back on the roof, Klaus cracked one eye open.
Kiel was still lying beside him, but the boy's usual restless energy was gone. His stare was distant, unfocused—somber in a way that didn't belong on someone his age.
Klaus sighed softly. "Stop worrying about other people and start worrying about yourself," he said lazily. "Tomorrow, you'll be fighting for your life. If you keep sulking, I might suggest to Shane that you stay here."
Kiel turned his head slightly. "I'm fine, Mr. Klaus," he said. "I'm just… thinking."
"Then tell me."
Kiel shook his head. "No need. It's just silly."
He rolled off the wagon roof and landed lightly, jogging toward the others as if nothing had happened.
Ulon leaned against the wagon's side, watching him go. "He's lying," he said casually. "Still thinking about them."
Klaus closed his eyes again, expression calm but faintly weary.
"Naive boy," he murmured. "Nothing will change, no matter how hard he thinks."
A short distance away, Shane finished guiding Molly beneath the shade of a wide, crooked tree. He tore up a bundle of her favorite coarse grass and set it down carefully. The beast snorted in approval and began chewing, tail flicking lazily.
Shane straightened and surveyed the camp. Petra and Maddy were crouched near a cluster of shrubs, snapping dead branches and arguing quietly about which ones were dry enough. Shalotte and Kiel were kneeling together, arranging stones into a crude firepit. Shalotte kept adjusting the rocks for symmetry, only for Kiel to nudge one out of place with his boot and grin—until Shalotte nearly tripped trying to fix it again.
Shane walked toward the wagon, his voice low but firm. "Are the scouts still out?"
Klaus didn't open his eyes. "They disappeared after the merchant convoy passed us."
Shane's brow furrowed slightly. "So they're gone."
Klaus rose in one smooth motion and hopped down on the far side of the wagon, away from the others. "I'll confirm before we proceed."
Ulon glanced over, arms crossed. "Be careful. If what you said is true, we shouldn't underestimate them."
Klaus smirked faintly. "Concerned? That's new."
Ulon scoffed. "I just don't want mistakes."
"Fair enough."
Shane nodded once. "Go. Inform me if there's any movement. If the worst comes and they never leave, we abandon the side quest."
Klaus inclined his head and walked off, quickly blending into the rocky outcrops.
Once hidden among jagged stone formations, his demeanor shifted. His breathing slowed. A pulse of echolocation rippled outward—then another, spaced half a second apart. The land unfolded in his mind: stones, shrubs, insects, the steady breathing of his companions. Everything was there—except two familiar signatures.
His eyes narrowed.
He phantom-jumped, vanishing and reappearing from rock to rock, keeping his presence thin as mist. He circled wide—nearly a kilometer—probing again and again. Nothing. No lingering footsteps. No suppressed heartbeats.
Satisfied, Klaus returned, reappearing a few meters from the camp before strolling in as though he had never left.
Maddy noticed him first while turning skewered meat over the fire. "Where have you been?" she snapped. "We thought you got lost."
Klaus dropped onto a nearby rock. "Nature's call."
Maddy squinted. "You were gone too long for that."
He only smiled.
Klaus met Shane's gaze and gave a subtle nod. Shane caught it immediately and returned it.
"Good," Shane said aloud. "We'll stay on schedule. After dinner, Klaus and I head west as planned. The rest of you sleep properly. Move at dawn and keep going until you reach the Sand Wyrm's lair."
Shalotte looked up sharply. "Boss, are you sure you'll make it in time? Will Zevy take you?"
Shane whistled softly. Zevy answered from above, swooping down to perch on a branch near Molly.
"No," Shane said. "Anyone who sees Zevy will know I'm involved. That compromises the raid."
Shalotte frowned. "Then how will you reach the west? On horseback, it would take two or three days."
Shane glanced at Klaus. "I have a way. We'll reach it before dawn and set traps before the convoy passes."
Shalotte opened his mouth to speak, but Ulon cut in. "Are you doubting the boss, or are you afraid you'll fail?"
Shalotte shook his head quickly. "I never doubt the boss." He hesitated, then looked at Klaus. "I'm just… curious."
"If the boss says, boss will deliver," Ulon said, "never doubt that."
Shalotte fell silent.
Shane exhaled. "His doubt is valid. This is our first two-man raid—and with Klaus, of all people."
Maddy crossed her arms. "If Klaus fails to deliver, I'll kill him." She paused, then added, "Dinner's ready."
Petra carefully poured soup into each bowl, hands steady despite her nerves. Kiel sliced meat absentmindedly, eyes unfocused—until Petra quietly nudged his wrist away from the blade.
"Careful," she said softly.
"Oh—right. Sorry."
The meal was anything but peaceful. Ulon argued with Maddy, Shalotte kept apologizing for things he hadn't done, and Klaus ate silently, amused by it all.
At last, Shane stood. Klaus rose with him.
"It's time," Shane said.
He turned to Shalotte. "You're deputy leader while I'm gone. Report anything through the communicator. Ulon—guide them. Mistakes can be done, but avoid any casualties."
"I won't disappoint you, boss," Shalotte said firmly.
"Copy that," Ulon replied with a grin.
Shane nodded. "Good."
He turned and walked into the darkness. Klaus followed, the firelight fading behind them as the camp settled into uneasy quiet.