Before Elara vanished…

Far outside Ardent Cross, a faint pulse of blue light flickered through the Night Hunters’ tracking circle.

The mage’s eyes widened.

“Sire… the signal has returned.
Princess Elara is near us.”

Ravenn turned sharply, visor glowing faintly.

“Where?”

The mage hesitated.

“In… Ardent Cross.”

Ravenn exhaled, almost amused.

“Ardent? Why would she go there?”

“Sire,” another Hunter warned, “Ardent is heavily guarded. And it’s daylight. We’re not supposed to roam openly inside their walls—”

Ravenn raised a hand.

“Then we hide from the guards. Ardent’s corruption makes that easy.”

He looked over the ranks.

“Prepare a disguised party of three. The rest stay outside the walls and wait for my signal. Make yourselves invisible to the knights.”

The mage nodded and selected two Hunters.

Ravenn removed his heavy armor, switching to a trader’s cloak, simple boots, and a cloth hood.

“Leave all large weapons.
Carry only light gear.
No guns unless absolutely necessary.”

He glanced at the mage.

“Once we retrieve her, prepare to move immediately.”

Within minutes, Ravenn and two Hunters—dressed like ordinary travelers—approached Ardent’s gates with quiet confidence.

Gold clinked softly in Ravenn’s hand.

The guards barely glanced at them.

Bribery made everything smoother.

Inside Ardent, the disguised Hunters moved silently through the crowd.

Ravenn’s voice was low.

“She’s here. Close. Watch for the boy too.”

When Ashren and Elara spoke with Sir Veylan earlier, the Night Hunters had already seen them.

Ravenn’s eyes narrowed behind the cloth veil.

“There. The boy still follows her. We wait for the perfect moment.”

They watched. Patient. Unblinking.

And then the moment came.

Ashren stepped into the inn to speak with the keeper.

Elara stayed outside—just for a moment.

Ravenn moved.

He approached with a friendly traveler’s smile.

“Miss? I’m new here,” he said softly.
“Do you know where I can find food? I’ve been walking for hours.”

Elara, polite as ever, turned to help.

“Oh—yes, there’s a place a little farther down the street. If you go straigh—”

Before she finished the sentence—

A cloth pressed against her mouth.

Her eyes widened.
Her knees weakened.

A whisper brushed her ear:

“Hush, little princess.”

Her vision blurred—
then faded into black.

Ravenn lifted her gently, like a precious item.

“Move,” he ordered.

In a quiet alley, the two Hunters tied her hands behind her, sealed her mouth, and hid her unconscious body inside a merchant’s covered supply cart.

A tarp draped over her.

From the street, it looked ordinary.

Ravenn climbed beside the cart, hood low.

“Take us to the gate,” he murmured.

The cart rolled forward.

Present time…

Ashren ran through the street, heart racing.

“Elara!? ELARA!”

No response.

He pushed between people, scanning faces—
nothing.

Then, at the distant gate—

A supply cart rolled out of Ardent Cross.

Three men walked beside it.

Something glinted on one of their wrists—

A metal brace.
Smooth.
Dark.
Exactly like a Night Hunter’s weapon mount.

Ashren’s eyes widened.

“And their boots…”

Black. Thick. Engineered.

Night Hunter boots.

Ashren’s blood froze.

“That’s them—!”

He sprinted.

“ELARA!!!”

But the cart was already crossing the gate.
Already leaving the safety of the walls.

Already taking her away.

Ashren ran harder, lungs burning, desperation tearing through him—

But the Night Hunters didn’t look back.

They had what they came for.

And the gates of Ardent were closing.

To be continued…

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