Raven's POV
We pressed deeper into the Whispering Woods, the air growing heavier with each step.
The trees weren’t just tall—they loomed. Their trunks twisted like writhing bodies, knots forming shapes too close to human faces. Some were frozen in silent screams. Others just watched.
Liora swallowed hard.
“Rowan didn’t slow, but I saw the way his jaw tightened. “Stay close,” he ordered, his voice low, controlled.
I was already sticking close to him, but now, I moved even nearer.
Liora took a shaky step back. “We need to hurry. How are we even supposed to find the biggest tree in this—”
Then I heard a whisper.
A low Hissing directly in my ear.
I spun around so fast I nearly tripped. But there was nothing. Just trees and darkness.
But I felt it. Cold breath against my skin.
I t
