I wrapped my arms tightly around myself as I wandered through the dense forest, the shadows seeming to shift and twist with each step. Every direction looked the same, thick with towering trees and a carpet of fallen leaves. My heart raced with frustration and embarrassment, a chill creeping up my spine that had nothing to do with the morning air.
“This is just perfect,” I muttered, kicking at a stray branch and watching it bounce away. “Of course, I had to storm off after Lucas’s stupid comments.”
Lucas’s smug, infuriating grin flashed in my mind. “Come on, Lyra. Try and keep up. Or maybe you’d rather wait for a map?” His teasing words had dug under my skin, making me grit my teeth with each taunt. He’d made it sound like it was some grand adventure, but now I was utterly alone—and comp
