"They're here," Reana interrupted, her voice sharper than the wind slicing through the air.
Kira followed her gaze and spotted movement on the eastern ridge – dark figures cutting through the snow like phantoms, cloaked and staggered but upright. Alive.
The patrol escort had intercepted the delegation. Relief washed over Kira like a wave, but Reana didn't move.
She stood still, rigid, watching as each step took the group closer to home.
There were many. More than she anticipated. But somehow, she felt something wasn't right.
Kira's stomach tightened. "I think some are limping? There are fewer carts than we know. No horses?"
Reana didn't respond immediately. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to zoom in, beyond the howling wind. But the heavy snow wasn't easy to see through.
