"I'll go ahead," Noel said.
The shadows at his feet folded inward, swallowing his outline in a blink as he murmured, "Shadow Step." One moment he was there, the next he was gone, leaving only a faint ripple in the darkness where he'd stood.
Behind him, Noir slowed and turned back toward the others. She took the lead without a word, nose low, ears alert, guiding Elyra, Elena, and Laziel through the uneven terrain so they wouldn't lose their way. Noel had the device. That made her the compass now.
Elsewhere, a shadow shifted.
Noel emerged behind two familiar figures, stepping out from the dark cast by a broken wall as naturally as breathing. Selene and Clara were only a few meters away, backs half-turned, attention fixed down the street ahead.
A sharp chill ripped through the air.
