Rowan.
The woods felt suffocating, each step deeper into the thick, shadowed forest adding weight to the already unbearable burden of the day. The leaves rustled above us, whispering secrets I could never hope to understand. The dark trunks of the trees loomed like silent sentinels, their branches intertwining to form a canopy so dense it barely let any light through. The world around us was closing in, pressing down with the knowledge of what we had lost.
I glanced sideways at Melody, her face pale, drawn. She moved with difficulty, each step heavy, like the weight of the world was too much for her to carry. The blood loss had taken its toll—there was no denying it. The strong, fiery woman I had come to respect and care for now felt like a shadow of herself. The pain and loss from Kael's death hung in the air like a fog, choking us both. But I couldn't let her stop. Not yet.
"We're almost there," I said, my voice firm but low, trying to keep her moving. "Just a little further."
