Kaelen’s POV,...

The forest stretched endlessly before us, a sea of green and shadow. The deeper we went, the quieter it became, as though the trees themselves were holding their breath. Only the soft crunch of boots against the forest floor and the distant hum of insects broke the silence.

We’d been traveling for three days, the morning mist clinging to our cloaks and turning every breath into a pale wisp of steam. Aria walked beside me, silent but steady. Her white hair shimmered ...