Anthony's POV (Continued)
The forest closed around me as I moved, a dark, twisting labyrinth of shadows and silence. But I was no longer wandering aimlessly—every step felt like it carried me closer to her, guided by some invisible thread that pulled at my very soul. The trees seemed to bow under the weight of my resolve, their branches swaying as if acknowledging my purpose.
“Elara,” I whispered her name into the stillness, a prayer and a promise woven into one. “Hold on. I’m coming.”
I pushed forward, the memory of her laughter echoing in my mind like a melody I couldn’t escape. She had always said that there was magic in these woods, a timeless energy that pulsed beneath the earth, flowing through every root and leaf. I’d never felt it as she had—until now. Now, it was as though the
