The walk back felt longer than the way out.
Lucas wasn't sure if it actually was, or if the difference came from the lack of urgency. Earlier, they'd been moving toward something. Now they were just… returning.
The forest had settled into a steady quiet. Wind moved through the leaves in soft waves, and somewhere deeper in the trees something small shifted through the underbrush. No projections, no sudden pressure spikes, no need to watch every angle at once.
Still, none of them fully relaxed.
Lucas kept a slower pace than usual, scanning the ground and the trees out of habit. It felt strange to move without expecting something to trigger.
"You still watching for hazards?" Arden asked from behind him.
Lucas glanced back.
"Yeah."
"There aren't any active zones left," she said.
"I know."
He stepped over a root and adjusted his path slightly.
"Doesn't mean I trust that."
Raisel let out a quiet breath.
"That's probably the intended effect."
Lucas smirked.
"Then it worked."
