“Do you feel that?”

Mira’s whisper barely carried over the rustle of leaves, but Aldric heard it clearly. He stopped at once, lifting a hand for the others to halt. The forest around them seemed to breathe slowly, heavily, and anciently. Even the insects had gone silent, as though the land itself was holding its breath.

Kael frowned, scanning the shadows between the trees, his hand drifting instinctively toward the hilt of his blade. “Feel what?”

Mira closed her eyes, fingers ...