I Died and Became a Noble's Heir

Chapter 500: Another hour

”Another hour, my lord,” the first guard replied, not looking up from his work. ”The axle damage is worse than I initially thought. We need to reinforce it properly or risk another collapse.”

”And the bridge?” Jack asked. ”Is there another crossing nearby?”

The second guard straightened, wiping sweat from his forehead. ”There’s a ford about five miles upstream. We passed a road that branches off, maybe two miles back. It adds a full day to our journey, but it’s the only viable crossing within a reasonable distance.”

Jack’s jaw tightened as he processed the timeline.

Seven days remaining on Zephyros’s bet when they’d left Millhaven.

Seven days of travel to reach the shrine under normal circumstances. With the detour, eight days total.

Which meant he’d arrive at the shrine one day after the thirty-day bet period concluded.

The bet would already be won by the time they reached their destination.

Relief flooded through Jack despite the circumstances.

The extra day was an inconvenience, but it didn’t threaten his ability to ask Zephyros about breaking Aurora’s curse.

”Take the detour,” Jack said, his tone carrying finality. ”We’ll backtrack to the branch road and head upstream to the ford. Better to lose a day than risk the bridge collapsing under us if we tried to repair it.”

The guards nodded, returning to their work with renewed focus.

Rhys had been standing near the forest edge, his winter-ice eyes scanning the treeline. ”You think this was deliberate, don’t you?”

Jack met the young tempest mage’s gaze. ”I think accidents happen at convenient times. But yes, this feels orchestrated.”

”The old man from Millhaven,” Rhys said quietly. ”The one who asked about soul magic and bindings. You think he’s responsible?”

”I think someone doesn’t want us reaching the shrine on schedule,” Jack replied, which was true without confirming specifics. ”But they’re not attacking directly, which means they’re waiting for something.”

”For what?”

”That’s what concerns me,” Jack admitted.

Lyra approached from where she’d been examining the collapsed bridge; her expression looked troubled. ”The damage looks recent. Someone did this within the last day or two.”

”Which means they knew our route,” Jack said. ”Knew when we’d be traveling this road, and we’d have to stop here.”

”We’ve been followed,” Father Caelen stated, the words carrying certainty. ”Since Millhaven, perhaps earlier. Whoever is behind this has been tracking our movements and preparing obstacles.”

The implication hung heavy in the afternoon air. They were being herded, guided toward a destination where their enemies had prepared the battlefield.

The hour passed slowly as the guards completed their repairs. Jack remained alert, his enhanced perception tracking the forest while the Soul Link fed him constant updates from the Panthers and Mistborn patrolling the perimeter.

No attacks came.

No ambushes materialized.

Just the quiet forest and the sound of tools on wood as damaged components were replaced.

Finally, the lead guard straightened. ”We’re ready, my lord. The axle is reinforced, and the new wheel is secure. We can move whenever you’re prepared.”

”Good,” Jack said. ”We’ll backtrack to the branch road and take the upstream route. Keep watch for more obstacles.”

The party loaded back into the carriage, settling into their positions as the guards climbed to the helm.

The vehicle lurched into motion, turning carefully on the narrow road before heading back the way they’d come.

Jack sat across from Lyra, his eyes closed in false meditation while his mind worked through strategies.

Through the Soul Link, the Panthers and Mistborn maintained their patrol, invisible guardians watching for threats that Jack knew would eventually come.

The carriage rolled backward, retracing miles already traveled before finding the branch road that would take them upstream to the ford.

The detour added distance and time, pushing their arrival at the shrine to eight days instead of seven.

The forest passed by outside the carriage windows, shadows lengthening as afternoon progressed toward evening.

They’d need to make camp soon, find a defensible position where the guards could rest and the horses could recover.

Father Caelen sat in contemplative silence, his eyes distant, as if he were seeing something beyond the physical world.

The priest’s enhanced connection to spirits and elemental beings gave him perception that transcended normal senses, and Jack suspected he was reading the forest’s mood.

”We’re being watched,” Father Caelen said suddenly, his voice quiet but certain.

Jack’s hand moved toward where his weapons would materialize. ”Where?”

”Not physically,” the priest clarified. ”But something is aware of our presence. Tracking our movement through means I can’t quite identify.”

”Magic?” Rhys asked, tension evident in his posture.

”Perhaps,” Father Caelen replied. ”Or something more subtle. A spell anchored to one of us, or an object we’re carrying, or even the carriage itself.”

Jack’s mind immediately went to the woman from Millhaven. The auburn-haired stranger who’d stumbled and touched his shoulder, her fingers pressing against his collar in what he’d assumed was checking fabric quality

Had she placed a tracking mark? Something subtle enough that he hadn’t detected it even with enhanced perception and system analysis?

’Panthers,’ Jack commanded through the Soul Link. ’Check the carriage for tracking spells or markers. Anything that might be broadcasting our location.’

’Searching now, Master.’

Minutes passed as the Panthers investigated, their enhanced senses designed to detect hidden threats, examining every surface of the vehicle.

’Found something,’ a Panther reported. ’Small magical signature on the rear left wheel hub. Looks like a tracking rune, probably activated by movement. It’s broadcasting our position to... somewhere. We can’t determine the destination without more specialized analysis.’

Jack’s jaw tightened. So they’d been tracked since Millhaven, their every movement reported to whoever had placed the rune. That explained how the sabotage had been so precisely timed.

The Council knew exactly when they’d reach this section of road.

’Can you remove it?’ Jack asked.

’Yes, but whoever placed it will know the moment we do. They’ll realize we’ve detected the tracking.’

Jack considered the options. Leave the rune active and continue being tracked, or remove it and alert the Council that he’d discovered their surveillance.

’Leave it for now,’ Jack decided. ’Let them think they still have the advantage. We’ll remove it right before arriving at the shrine, give them minimal time to adjust their plans.’

’Understood, Master.’

Jack released his focus from the Soul Link as the carriage reached the branch road and turned upstream.

The path here was narrower and less maintained, with overhanging branches scraping against the vehicle’s roof.

”Everything alright?” Lyra asked, noticing Jack’s distant expression.

”Fine,” Jack replied. ”Just thinking about the route ahead.”

The bracelet flared suddenly with heat so intense that Jack’s chest felt like it was on fire.

His eyes snapped open to find Lyra leaning forward, her hand extended toward him with concern evident on her face.

”You’re sweating,” she said softly. ”Are you sure you’re alright?”

The fitted waistband. The way the afternoon light caught in her braid. Her hand was hovering inches from his face, close enough that he could feel warmth radiating from her skin.

”I’m fine,” Jack managed, his voice rougher than intended.

Lyra pulled back, uncertainty crossing her features. ”If you’re certain...”

The carriage hit a rut, jostling everyone inside.

Through the window, Jack caught movement in the forest. A flash of red between the trees, gone in an instant.