The forest felt different that morning.

It wasn’t just the silence—it was the pulse beneath it. Every leaf, every blade of grass seemed to hum with a rhythm Bella could almost hear, like the land itself was waiting. The silver dawn filtered through the canopy, painting the ground in shifting pools of light. When she exhaled, the air shimmered faintly, catching the breath like a ghost.

Alfred walked at her side, his expression unreadable but his aura thrumming with tension. Behind them ...