Fenric's eyes snapped to mine. "What do you know about soul binding?"
"Nothing," I cleared my throat. "Just that I heard something about 'souls interlaced' when we found the symbol."
A strange expression crossed Fenric's face. "I need to check something in the Bureau archives. This symbol may be significant."
"More significant than Winter suddenly making plants lean toward her and toast float?" Rook raised an eyebrow.
"Potentially related," Fenric replied cryptically. "The timing is...suggestive."
Before I could ask what he meant, a loud chime sounded from his tablet. Fenric's expression shifted from thoughtful to alarmed as he read whatever had appeared on the screen.
"What is it?" Zane moved to look over his shoulder.
"A magical disturbance," Fenric's voice was tight. "The Bureau's sensors have detected a massive leyline flare approximately one mile east of our location."
"East?" I exchanged a glance with Zane and Milo. "That's where the pocket grove is."
"The what?" Fenric's head snapped up.
"A magical sanctuary we found yesterday," Zane explained smoothly. "Hidden in a ravine near the leyline convergence point."
"And you didn't think to mention this earlier?" Fenric's eye was beginning to twitch.
He was adorable.
"We were a little distracted by Winter's glowing situation," Milo pointed out.
Fenric looked like he wanted to pursue the topic further, but the tablet chimed again, more urgently this time.
"The flare is intensifying," his professional demeanor reasserting itself. "The magical signature is..." He paused, his expression shifting to one of disbelief. "It's identical to the energy reading from Winter's markings."
All eyes turned to me.
"But I'm right here," I protested. "How can my energy signature be out there?"
"Residual effects from our visit yesterday?" Zane glanced at me, though he sounded doubtful.
"Or something else entirely," Rook's voice was grim. "Something using Winter's energy signature as a mask."
The implications of that possibility sent a chill down my spine. If someone or something could mimic my prophetic energy, what else could they do with it?
Was it the Harbingers?
"We need to investigate," Fenric was already standing, tablet clutched in his hand. "All of us. If this is related to Winter's condition, we need to understand it."
No one argued. Within minutes, we were geared up and heading out of the cabin. Rook took point, his enhanced senses alert for any danger. Zane and Milo flanked me, while Fenric brought up the rear, his tablet continuously monitoring the magical disturbance. I'd left Horrace behind because he was still recovering and I wanted him safe.
As we followed the trail toward the leyline convergence, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were walking into something significant. The blue markings on my skin pulsed in time with my heartbeat, growing brighter with each step we took toward the mysterious flare.
"The energy signature is getting stronger," Fenric reported from behind me. "Whatever is causing this, it's powerful."
"Can you tell if it's hostile?" Rook called back, his body tense and ready for action.
"Unclear," Fenric's voice was tight. "The readings are complex."
We reached the overlook where we'd been caught in the magical surge yesterday. The view was still breathtaking, but now there was something else visible, a column of blue light rising from the ravine below, exactly where the pocket grove was hidden.
"That's not subtle," Milo's eyes were wide.
