Ally's POV

　　The scent of the sea mingles with that of damp earth as we stride through the dense underbrush, our boots sinking slightly into the moist soil. I can feel Dawn's restlessness within me, mirroring my own unease. Elliot moves beside me like a shadow, his presence a constant comfort despite the uncertainty ahead.

　　"Ally," he whispers, drawing my attention to his vivid green eyes that seem to capture the very essence of the forest around us. "We need to be ...