Chapter 16 Esmeralda's Pov

• The darkness around me feels alive, like a thick fog pressing down on my lungs. I struggle to catch my breath as I look around, finding the place unfamiliar. Sheldon and Astrid are gone to goddess knows where. The air is thick with a strange energy that makes the hair on my skin stand. It is a sign that I am in danger.
• I shiver, clutching my arms as I try to steady myself. Was this what she meant by a sanctuary? But everything about it feels wrong. The silence is loud, broken only by the faintest rustling of leaves that seem to whisper secrets and warnings I can’t quite hear.
• "Hello?" I call out, my voice sounding hollow, swallowed by the shadows. I half expect something to answer back, but there’s just an empty quietness.