Chapter 29 The Heir's Shadow

• The ruined forest was alive with rumors of things invisible as the night pressed down hard. Emma remained by Jared's side, but she held her blade more tightly than ever. Liam moved forward with a stiff stance and suspicious looks over his shoulder at every turn.
• The quiet broke. This time, there will be voices instead of howls. Human.
• Gold lines cut through the smoke as lanterns swayed through the trees. A squad appeared, dressed in black armor, their movements too angular to be scavengers. The column was stopped when their leader held up a hand.