Evelyn's POV
The forest was still, too still. The eerie quiet pressed down on me like a weight, each rustling leaf and distant snap of a branch making my heart race. Somewhere ahead, Adrian and his pack were regrouping after the battle. I could feel the remnants of the dark energy lingering in the air, faint but unmistakable. Whatever had happened here had left a scar, not just on the land but on the energy itself.
I tightened my grip on the staff in my hand, the runes carved into its surface glowing faintly in the moonlight. Soren walked beside me, his expression grim. His sword was already drawn, the blade catching the faint light as we moved. Behind us, a handful of warriors followed, their steps silent and deliberate.
"We’re close," I said softly, stopping to scan the clearing ahead
