Denise didn’t speak immediately.
Not because she didn’t have words—
but because every option she considered felt like it had already been evaluated by something else inside her.
That scared her more than the forest.
Liam stayed in front of her, unmoving.
Not blocking her.
Shielding her from something that wasn’t visible anymore, only felt.
“You’re doing it again,” she said quietly.
Liam’s voice was low. “Doing what?”
“Making it sound like I’m already halfway gone.”
A pause.
Then Liam replied carefully:
“You’re not gone.”
Denise let out a short breath. “That’s not what it feels like.”
Below, the forest boundary remained intact—no movement, no advance. But the stillness now felt like a held breath rather than withdrawal.
Something was listening.
Denise rubbed her arms slightl
