ntinued): The

her confusion. She wanted to follow him, to demand answers, but something in the back of her mind told her it was pointless. Kael wasn't some

to her. It was no longer a whisper; it

llow Creek. Her feet moved on their own, as if drawn by the invisible threads that had guided her here. Th

ng? Why had he warned her? And

. She had to get home. She had to get out of the woods. But the feeling that s

oft click. The stillness inside was almost suffocating. She leaned against the door,

were wide, wild with the remnants of fear, and her face pale. But there was something

down from her mother, or so she had been told. A small, silver crescent moon, its surface etched with intri

, but lately, it had felt heavier. As if it was growin

ding a chill down her spine. It cam

hey followed her? She strained her ears, listening for

shed against her scalp, and for a moment, she thought she felt someth

oked at her. It was as if he could see through her, see into the very marrow of her bones. His

m. She had felt it-the same thing that called her toward the forest. Something deep within her, primal, ancient. So

her like a weight, and for a moment, she wondered if the world had frozen in time

had passed when the first ho

thought she could hear it inside her own bones. The howl of a wolf-no, not a wolf. It was something more. I

rnful howls that sent a shiver crawling down her spine. She had heard wolves before, but this? This was different. These

nding

ing like a curse. The forest was awake. And

unding her in the midst of the storm brewing around her. She didn't know how much longer she could stay

rk. The full moon hung in the sky, casting a sickly silver light across

rm was

-

ew

ing came swiftly, bringing with it a lightness Araya had not expected. It was almost as thou

to settle into her bones. The forest's call was still there, faint bu

the pull she felt toward the forest. The woods were no longer a di

nce more, the pendant resting against her chest. It seemed to

oked peaceful, ordinary even, with its cobblestone streets and humble buildings. Yet she knew, deep in h

all its dark secrets,

-