They ran through a forest that no longer felt like their own.
The trees closed in the deeper they went, their thick branches twisting into clawed shapes that scraped against the dark sky, bark peeling back like rotting skin. The ground beneath their boots grew uneven, slick with mud and old frost, while a heavy, clinging mist rose from the roots.
Rhea led the pack now.
Her silver pendant glowed with a steady, pulsing light, reacting to something waiting in the dark ahead. Each pulse echoed through her ribs like a second heartbeat. Lucci and Ronan stayed locked to her flanks, their eyes scanning the fog, while the rest of the scouts formed a tight defensive rear.
The sensation of being watched pressed heavily against the back of Rhea's neck. The forest held its breath, silent and waitin
