The city was waking, but it was not whole. Broken streets hissed with damp air, and the smell of burned wood clung to every corner. Smoke drifted from shattered chimneys, and faint fires burned in alleys like wounded eyes. I moved through the streets as quietly as I could, Sarah at my side, Sophia close enough to hum faint wards that clung to us like a protective second skin. Mona had vanished to the high ground, her eyes already scanning for threats we could not see.

The Black River rippled in the morning light. At first glance, it looked ordinary, reflecting the pale sky and passing gulls. But I could feel the subtle twitch beneath its surface—the same restless pulse I'd noticed from the hill. It was deliberate, almost sentient. The memory of last night made my stomach tighten: the water had carried rage, hunger, and the remnants of Veyra's control. Now, it was quieter, but it was watching.

"Look at the current," I muttered, crouching at the riverbank.

Sarah leaned in beside me. Her hand rested on her sword hilt, fingers twitching with anticipation. "It's… off. Subtle, but deliberate. It's testing."

I nodded. The black tide may have been gone, but Veyra's influence had left traces in the river's veins, like poison in a wound. And the Empress was patient. She would use them again. Slowly. Precisely.

Sophia murmured a line of green sigils into the dirt, letting them flow into the riverbank. Invisible to the naked eye, alive to magic, these wards pulsed with soft light. "I can shield us from detection for a short while," she said. "If she probes the water, it may delay her learning. Not long, though."

I clenched my fists. The river had almost killed us once. I would not let it happen again.

Mona's voice crackled faintly from the distant hill. "South bank. Three men, not city patrols. Small boats. They're careful, but someone's testing the currents near the docks."

I froze. "Mercenaries? Scouts?"

"Maybe both," Mona replied. "They move like she taught them. Careful. Efficient. Calculated. But they're hers."

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "Then we intercept quietly. No alarms, no panicking the city. If she's testing the river, we need to end the test before it becomes a trap."

We slipped through the shadows of the warehouses, careful not to draw attention. Merchants squinted at us, soldiers paused mid-step, sensing something wrong, but unable to identify it. The city was alive, but fragile. Every step echoed through cracks in stone, every breath disturbed dust and leaves.

The three men at the docks moved like ghosts. They checked ropes, adjusted crates, scanned the river. Their movements were synchronized, precise, deliberate. Too deliberate. The moment one of them paused, the water shifted—subtle, almost imperceptible. A crate lifted slightly, then dropped back into place, as if guided by invisible hands.

Sophia stiffened beside me. "It's not them," she whispered. "It's the water. It's alive. Watching. Learning."

My stomach sank. The Empress had not just sent pawns; she had sent the river itself. Her reach extended further than we could see, even without Veyra alive to direct it.

I turned to Sarah. "We take them before they know we're here. Move silently. No magic, no sound."

Sarah gave a curt nod. We crept closer, crouching behind crates, barrels, and debris. Each step was measured, slow. My knife pressed into my palm, ready. The ripples in the water moved toward the docks, curling around the men as if testing their reactions.

Suddenly, the river surged beneath a small boat, lifting it gently before it bobbed back. The men froze. One cursed under his breath and reached for a rope, trying to secure the vessel. Another bent to inspect the water, clearly unsettled.

"Now," I whispered.

Sarah sprang from cover, her sword slicing the air. I followed, knife ready. Sophia raised her staff, tracing wards in the dirt, whispering softly. When her words took hold, a faint green shimmer erupted from the docks, blinding the men for a fraction of a second. That was all we needed.

Chaos erupted. I slashed at the nearest man, catching him across the shoulder. He stumbled back, yelping, and the river responded, thrashing against the boat violently. One of the other men dove into the water, fighting the pull as it tried to drag him under. Sarah struck another, hard, the clang of her blade ringing against metal as he fell.

The river pulsed around us, a subtle, menacing force. Not out of control, not yet—but alive, waiting, calculating. I could feel it tugging at my boots, at my wrists, like a predator curious about its prey.

Sophia's wards flared again, shielding us as we moved, guiding us to solid footing while the river lashed around the docks. The last man tried to escape, but I met him at the edge of the pier. One quick move, a twist of the knife, and he fell into the water with a splash. The river seemed to pause, as if disappointed, then continued its restless rippling downstream.

I gasped for air, muscles trembling from the exertion. Sarah leaned on her sword, chest heaving. Sophia's hands glowed faintly, wards flickering in the early sun. And somewhere, high on the hill, Mona's voice crackled over the wind.

"Area secured. But… it's learning. Don't think this is over."

I stared at the river. Calm again, reflecting the pale morning sun. But the memory of its movements lingered in my bones.

"She's already testing us," I muttered.

Sarah gave a tight smile. "Then we test her back."

I glanced at Sophia. "We strengthen the wards here, make the river think it's safe, and follow its trail upstream. Whatever she's hiding, we'll find it."

Sophia nodded. "I can mask our presence for a short while. But the river will notice eventually. It always does."

Mona's voice sounded faintly again, from the high ground. "Keep moving. Don't let her see you coming. She's patient—but we can be faster."

I took a deep breath, letting the cold morning air fill my lungs. My shoulder throbbed, ribs screamed, and exhaustion weighed heavy on my limbs—but I felt the spark of determination I hadn't felt since the collapse.

Because we weren't just survivors anymore. Not after last night.

We were hunters.

And the hunt had truly begun.

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