They remounted in silence after spending a few moments at this crossroads, the horses snorting softly as if impatient with the pause, no suitable grazing points nearby they could sneak off to while the humans were gazing at a rock.
The sun had begun its slow descent by then, tilting westward and staining the sky in soft amber and rose.
Shadows stretched long across the road, and the air carried the subtle promise of night—cooler, quieter, less burdened by the heat of the day.
Julius guided his horse off the main road after another hour of riding, following a narrow game trail that cut through a shallow stand of trees.
He chose the site with practiced ease: elevated enough to avoid pooling water, close to a shallow stream but not so close as to invite insects, shielded on two sides by rock and brush.
To Serena, it all looked like… trees, dirt, and everything far from a proper spot to rest for the night.
