Melody.
The forest was a blur as Rowan dragged me through it, his grip tight on my arm, pulling me further from the nightmare behind us. My mind was still reeling, the image of Kael's lifeless body haunting every step I took. My heart ached for something I didn't even realize I wanted. His handsome face, full of hope and love, still lingered in my thoughts, refusing to fade. I could still hear the sound of his voice, the words he had said, pleading with Julia, desperately trying to reach the woman who had once been his sister.
"Rowan," I croaked, my voice weak, barely a whisper. "Kael... he's gone. She's gone... everything's gone."
His grip on my arm tightened, his jaw clenched as he kept his eyes straight ahead, never looking back. "We don't stop," he muttered, his tone hard and unyielding. "We keep moving. We can't afford to look back now. I need to get you away from her, what my cousin's gotten much more powerful since I left her -- we can't fight that alone."
