Atlas POV
Atlas’s heart still thudded in his chest from what he’d just witnessed—Miranda, struggling against Alastair’s grip, her face contorted in pain. He had been forced to leave her behind, the cruel smile of their enemy’s face still fresh in his mind as he stepped into the cursed forest. A feeling of helplessness weighed heavy on his broad shoulders but now was not the time for hesitation. He had to survive. He had to win. He had to save Miranda.
The moment he entered the Forest of Whispers, a bone-chilling cold seeped into his skin. The air was heavy, damp with mist that slithered between the ancient trees. Each tree was a towering giant, gnarled with age and covered in a thick coat of moss and dark vines. The thick canopy above blocked out the moonlight, and only the smallest glim
