AMBER
The box wasn’t big. In fact, it was much smaller than I had imagined. It was no larger than the size of an old wooden chest. The surface was rough, carved with the same ancient marks shining faintly under the cave’s dim glow.
I felt my breath hitch as I stepped closer. My boots crunched over gravel and dust, and with each step, the pull grew stronger. My chest tightened, my stomach fluttered, and my palms grew damp. It was as though the box knew me and was calling out to me.
Behind me, I could feel the boys’ eyes following my every move. No one spoke. No one dared to. The silence was heavy, but I could sense their anticipation and the tension hanging in the air.
When I reached the slab, I paused, standing directly in front of the box.
“Amber,” Jamie’s voice broke softly throug
