Chapter 40: The Final Test
The boundary path narrowed, forcing Elara to move carefully. The trees pressed in, their twisted limbs like skeletal hands, and the forest floor became treacherous with hidden roots and slippery moss. The bond thrummed furiously in her chest, warning her that the real danger was close. Ahead, a shadow shifted—larger than the wolves that had circled her before. Her breath caught. It wasn’t just wolves now. Something darker, more deliberate, awaited. Seraphine’s influence radiated from the figure, a silent challenge designed to see if Elara would survive. “Elara,” Lucien’s voice whispered in her mind, steadying her, “trust the bond. It will guide you. Fear nothing that you can feel through it.” The figure moved, suddenly revealing itself as a large, wolf-like creature, its eyes glinting w
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