The road narrowed as the trees grew taller, their branches reaching overhead like a green roof. Light filtered through the canopy in golden shards, dancing across the windshield as Lena drove deeper into the forest.
Lena had chosen jeans and a soft blue shirt for the drive—comfortable, practical, but still presentable enough for what waited ahead.
She’d lent Elize a light summer dress from her own closet, something simple and floral. It suited her—softening her edges, making her look a little less like a runaway and more like someone returning home.
She kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually in her lap. A soft breeze slipped through the open window, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth.
In the passenger seat, Elize sat cross-legged, her hands waving animate
