The party left the Mosswarren Enclave early on Eresday morning, wanting to get out of the city before the crowds overtook the streets for the last day of the Winter Fête. Pita’s parents gave them a warm send off after a quick breakfast, escorting them to the edge of the city before giving all of them hugs and kisses on each cheek.
The ride back to the village of Pounce was uneventful, though Elise could feel the tension in her chest rising the closer they got to home. As they passed through the treeline and into the open, hilly plains leading toward the Veritasia City, Elise felt as if they were leaving a bubble of safety. The thin barrier that had been shielding her from the anxiety she normally felt popped, fizzing into the air in a thousand tiny motes of light and water, leaving nothin
