By the time we reached the forest, the sky had already begun to dim. Winter was creeping closer, and the days felt shorter, the light fading faster than it should. The air had grown colder too, sharper against the skin, but I did not mind it. My body wasn't affected by the cold and if anything it helped keep my thoughts clearer.
The carriage slowed, then came to a stop just before the entrance.
Maribel stepped down first, gathering her skirts slightly as she landed with ease. Elias followed right after, and then he turned, offering his hand without hesitation. I took it, allowing him to guide me down, my boots meeting the ground as I lifted my gaze forward.
The forest stood before us. Dark and Still.
There were no houses nearby, no small shops or signs of life. Just emptiness surrounding the edges, as though the land itself had been abandoned.
"They were evacuated," Elias said, noticing where I was looking. "The toxicity made it unsafe to remain."
