Kael´s POV
The creaking of the wagon's axles grew uneven, almost nervous—like the cart itself knew it was approaching forbidden ground. I felt the shift in the air before the wheels stopped: the air grew denser, colder, tinged with a barely-there electric charge. Silence reigned. No crows. No insects in the grass. Only the erratic thud of my own heartbeat.
Then, finally, at Nox’s command, the wagon halted.
"Where are we?" asked one of the lycans from the front cabin. His voice carried a slight tremor. It wasn’t just confusion. It was fear.
Nox didn’t answer. He stepped down calmly, as if he’d been here before. As if every branch, every root, every shadow belonged to him. From my spot, chained inside the iron cage, I could barely make out his figure. His cloak rippled in the wind like i
