Fern
Gaven doesn't give me time to second-guess my answer.
The moment I nod, something shifts in him. His posture loosens, his hands unclench, and a rare spark of excitement flashes across his face. It's subtle, but it's there. I've never seen him like this.
"Come," he says, already moving.
I hurry after him, nearly jogging to keep up as he cuts through the castle halls with purpose. His pace is quick and eager, as if he's afraid the moment might slip away if he slows. We pass through corridors I don't recognize, then down a set of stairs and out a side door that opens directly into the forest.
Cool air slams into my lungs, but I don't have time to draw in a breath. Gaven is still moving. I had expected him to stop immediately. To shift right there, just beyond the castle
