FINNIAN

The morning came faster than I expected. The sound of birds was the first thing that tore through the quiet. Their sharp chirps echoed over the forest, waking everyone one after another.

I pushed myself up, brushing off the sand and crushed leaves clinging to my body. My back ached from the hard ground, but I didn’t complain. Pain was a companion I’d long gotten used to.

Just as I reached for my cloak, something slammed inside my chest.

My breath caught.

A sudden, hard throb ...