I didn’t know how I escaped that cave but somehow, I was suddenly in the middle of the forest. A sharp, high-pitched ringing filled my ears like a scream I couldn’t silence.

My legs buckled. I collapsed, trembling, as something inside me fractured. It wasn’t just shock or fear it was fury and heartbreak crashing through me like a physical force, shaking every muscle, vibrating through my bones. I’d thought I was ready for the truth in all its ugliness, but I wasn’t. Not even close.

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