The mountain did not fall silent after the rumble. The sound lingered beneath the earth like a sleeping animal shifting in its den.
Mira stood motionless next to Rowan, staring at the shadowy incline that rose above the woodland. The air felt different, but the snow-covered cliffs remained the same. The forest itself seemed to be listening.
Rowan lowered the hare slowly. “That sound came from inside the mountain,” he said.
Mira swallowed. “Mountains do not growl.”
Rowan did not answer immediately. His jaw tightened as if he was remembering something he did not want to say aloud.
“Some places,” Rowan finally said, “should never be disturbed.”
The strange warmth in Mira’s chest pulsed again. It spread through her ribs like a heartbeat that did not belong to her.
“We should go back,”
