Mason’s POV
The early morning mist clung to the forest like a living thing, wrapping around the trees and muffling every sound as Mason guided the group deeper into the undergrowth. The air was damp, heavy with the scent of moss and earth, and each step sent a fresh ripple of unease down his spine.
David marched beside him, eyes flicking from the map in his hands to the forest floor. Queen Luna Beatrice moved with quiet precision just behind them, her senses sharp and alert. Alex and Riley followed at the rear, their expressions taut with a mix of determination and dread.
The forest was too still.
Too quiet.
It felt like the whole world was holding its breath.
“We’re close,” David murmured, stopping at the edge of a clearing bathed in pale strips of sunlight. “This is where the readi
