The forest around them seemed to breathe, each shadow concealing an unknown threat. Leila’s heart raced, her senses heightened. She had chosen to fight, but the reality of that choice was settling in faster than she’d anticipated.
Martin held up a hand, signaling for silence as they moved quietly through the trees. Eric took the lead, his steps careful and deliberate, his gaze flicking toward every subtle movement in the shadows.
“Do you think they followed us here?” Leila whispered, her voice barely audible.
“Hard to say,” Martin replied, his eyes scanning the forest. “But if they did, we need to be ready.”
They moved deeper into the trees, heading toward a secluded cabin Martin and Eric had chosen for emergencies. It was hidden from the main road, nestled so far into the forest that
