Page 39 of Salt Between the Wolves

The observation carried neither challenge nor criticism, only certainty.

Riven looked toward the distant ridge before a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Soren isn't here."

A few quiet chuckles followed.

The older hunter sighed.

"That's not the reassurance you think it is."

The laughter spread a little farther this time.

Riven's grin widened.

"It's three hours."

"It's also a route we weren't assigned."

"We weren't assigned a weather report either."

The hunter muttered something under his breath.

Riven turned back toward the scout.

"Any signs of movement?"

"None."

"Tracks?"

The scout shook his head.

"Nothing."

For another moment, Riven studied the distant ridge before making his decision.

"We'll take it."

No one argued. Whether they agreed with him or not mattered less than the simple fact that he was in command.

The patrol adjusted course, and within the hour they had left the main trail behind.

The new route wound through older forest where the pines grew closer together and sunlight struggled to reach the ground. Snow lingered more deeply beneath the trees, untouched except for the occasional animal track crossing the path.

For a time, the shortcut appeared to justify itself. The terrain remained stable, no signs of recent passage appeared, and the forest around them remained undisturbed.

Perhaps too undisturbed.

The thought crossed Eira's mind almost before she realized it.

Then she dismissed it.

The mountains were often quiet, especially this far from settled routes.

Ahead, the trail began to climb. Rock gradually replaced forest as the trees thinned around them and a low ridge rose above the surrounding terrain.

Riven studied it for a moment.