The vision lingered long after Lyla had opened her eyes, its darkness clinging to her like the remnants of a nightmare. The shadowy figure standing beside Kane was unlike anything she had ever felt before malevolent, ancient, and entirely unnatural. The forest, which usually thrummed with life and energy, now seemed weighed down, its branches drooping and its whispers muted.

As she sat alone in the clearing, the silver wolf’s absence felt heavier than ever. Whatever Kane had discovered, it ...