Chapter Nineteen
Shadows in the Trees
My heart pounded against my ribs.
The guardian tightened her grip on my hand as another howl ripped through the forest.
Closer.
Much closer.
“Run,” she whispered.
“I-I don’t understand.”
“There isn’t time.”
The calm kindness in her eyes had disappeared, replaced by something I had never expected to see.
Fear.
If someone like her was afraid…
Who could possibly be chasing us?
She led me away from the clearing, her feet moving surprisingly fast over the forest floor. Branches brushed against my arms as we hurried between the ancient trees.
Behind us, the sound of snapping twigs grew louder.
“They’re gaining on us,” I whispered.
“I know.”
“Who are they?”
“The people who have spent eighteen years making sure you never discovered the truth.
