Raphael POV

We moved through the pack lands in my car, the engine humming low like it feared disturbing the morning. I sat in the passenger seat, elbow resting on the window frame, my face leaning into the wind. Cool air rushed past me, carrying the scent of damp soil and pine. Birds cut across the sky in uneven formations, their wings flashing silver under the pale sun. The trees stretched endlessly on both sides of the road, tall and ancient, their branches weaving together like watchful ...