Callie’s POV
The rain finally fell behind us around noon.
For the first time in days, the sky began to open above us, allowing shafts of light to break through the clouds while the road wound through mountains blanketed in forest.
No one spoke for a while.
Aurek watched the landscape through the window.
Asher drove.
Jonas studied one of the ancient maps we had found among Aurek’s belongings.
And I...
kept thinking about the two women in the forest.
The last heir.
And the First.
Both of them watching us leave.
As though they knew exactly what was going to happen.
As though all of this had begun long before I was ever born.
Bellona remained strangely silent.
Not asleep.
Attentive.
Listening.
A chill slowly ran down my spine.
And before I could think about it too much...
I
