The sun was already at its peak by the time we arrived.
I was still catching my breath from the long walk it took us just to get here, but all of that vanished the moment the beautiful scene unfolded in front of my eyes.
The forest opened for us like a secret unsealed, the trees parting with reverence to reveal the lake Lucas had raved about since we left Ravenwood. And gods, he hadn't exaggerated, not even a little.
It was... breathtaking.
The lake looked like glass, it was deep blue, still, too still like it has been untouched, preserved in time.
It sat cradled by trees and wild vines, hidden like a secret in the middle of the woods. Sunlight slipped through the leaves, painting the water with flickers of silver and gold that shimmered like stars. The air was thick with heat, wildflowers, pine, and something else, sharp, strange. Alive. Electric.
I inhaled deeply, letting the feeling wash over me.
