Chapter 96 The Path Unfolds

• The morning air was thick with the scent of damp earth, and the forest around them seemed to pulse with a quiet rhythm, as if the trees themselves were watching. Meher and Ayaan moved forward, each step heavier than the last, the weight of their journey pressing down on them. The Heartstone, still hanging around her neck, hummed softly, its energy ever-present, guiding them like a silent beacon.
• Ayaan, who had always been so sure of his path, seemed distant today. His usual confidence was clouded with uncertainty, his gaze often flicking over their surroundings as if expecting an attack. Meher knew he was trying to hide his concerns, but she could see the subtle tension in his shoulders, the way his hand rested on the hilt of his sword as though ready to draw it at a moment’s notice.
• "Do you think the wolves are watching us?" she asked quietly, her voice barely rising above the whispering wind.