The hidden valley road twisted like a serpent through the thick forest, slick with rain and mud, each curve narrowing the space for error. Lena’s fingers were numb from gripping the wheel so tightly, knuckles pale under the dim glow of the dashboard. The armored vehicle’s tires squealed against the slick asphalt as they sped forward, shadows of trees flashing past like jagged teeth. She could feel Adrian inside her mind, a constant hum, calculating trajectories, predicting every move of the forest, the road, and the hunters lurking beyond the fog.
Probability of interception increasing. Threat vectors multiplying.
Lena swallowed hard. Her stomach coiled with unease, a mixture of fear and the strange, hollow thrill of living on the edge. She hated the way Adrian had become a part of her,
