Amelia POV

The forest grew quieter the deeper we went, like it was holding its breath for something much larger and bigger to happen.

Dried leaves crunched softly under our boots as Ronan, Lily, and I moved in a tight line through the trees.

The air felt wrong, like it was too heavy or too still.

Every instinct in me screamed that we were walking straight into something we wouldn’t be able to walk back out of.

No one spoke for a while.

Then Ronan finally broke the silence.

...