Night did not bring rest. It brought clarity. Ilyra felt it the moment darkness settled across the land. The presence beyond the hills no longer watched from a distance. It leaned forward with intent. The town slept lightly. Breathing echoed through narrow streets. Lamps burned longer than usual. People sensed what they could not explain. Awareness moved faster than words.
Ilyra stood near the outer boundary where stone met open ground. The borrowed body remained steady beneath her. Fear did not rise. Neither did confidence. Only focus remained. Caelen joined her without sound. He stood beside her as if he had always belonged there. His presence grounded the space they shared. No words were needed. The land shifted beneath them. Not violently. Purposefully. A low pressure settled into the earth as if something tested the ground before stepping forward.
Liora appeared behind them and placed her hand against the stone marker. The boundary responded faintly. Still intact. Still holding. Ilyra extended her awareness just enough to acknowledge what approached. The response was immediate. Not hostile. Not welcoming. Certain. This was the edge of arrival. The presence pressed closer and paused. It waited for movement. For reaction. For invitation or refusal.
Ilyra remained still. She did not draw power. She did not retreat. She held balance with quiet resolve. The pressure eased slightly. Not withdrawal. Consideration. The night remained heavy but the ground did not break. The boundary did not fail. For now. Ilyra understood the truth with calm certainty. The next moment would not be chosen by chance. It would be chosen by action.
And when that moment came she would step forward. Not to fight. But to answer.