Chapter

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The air grew colder as Elyra felt the pull of an unseen force guiding her and Dain through the forest. It was subtle at first, like a faint hum at the edge of her consciousness, but the closer they followed it, the more insistent it became.

Matthew trudged behind them, his steps labored. "You're chasing something you don't even understand," he said, his voice gruff but laced with concern. "What if it's leading you to a trap?"

Elyra turned to him, her silver eyes shimmering in the moonlight. "I can feel it, Matthew. It's not random. There's something... familiar about it."

Matthew shook his head. "Familiar or not, it doesn't mean it's safe."

Later, as they stopped to rest by a quiet stream, Elyra sat beside Dain, the sound of the water soothing but her thoughts anything but calm. "What if he's right?" she whispered. "What if we're walking into something we can't fight? What if I'm risking everything-risking you -for something that doesn't even exist?"

Dain turned to her, his orange eyes steady and fierce. He reached out, cupping her face in his calloused hands. "Elyra, listen to me. We'll find it. Whatever's out there, we'll face it together. I won't let anything happen to you. Not to you, not to Matthew."

His words steadied her heart, and for a moment, she let herself believe in the strength of his resolve. But just as her fears began to ease, a distant howl broke through the quiet night, long and guttural.

Elyra's blood ran cold as the sound echoed around them, its malice unmistakable. Dain's hand tightened around hers. "Jason," he muttered, his jaw clenching.