The wind carried no warning. Only the subtle rustle of leaves along the jagged walls, the distant drip of water falling from slick stones, and the faint crunch of soil beneath their boots. The narrow ravine funneled the group into single file, the cliffs pressing close on either side, their jagged edges blotting out the light and the sky. Shadows pooled in every crevice, stretching long and thin like the fingers of some unseen predator.
Evelyn's fingertips brushed damp stone, the surface cold and slick, slick enough to leave streaks of moisture on her palms. "It feels wrong here," she murmured, voice tight, breath misting in the cold, heavy air. "Like something's waiting… patient. Watching."
Sofia's reply came sharp and clipped, every syllable a whip crack. "Then stay alert." Her hand hovered over her sword hilt, fingers taut, knuckles pale. Her eyes swept the overhangs above, scanning the darkness where the light of day dared not penetrate.
