The sun hung high in the sky. Light filtering through the branches of the thick trees.
"What's that?" Elina asked, pointing toward a cluster of glowing, purple-spotted mushrooms nestled beneath a twisted tree.
Vex, her—ahem Kai's little companion, perched on her shoulder, tilting her head curiously too.
"Hey." Kai immediately stepped over, grabbed her wrist, and tugged her back.
"Stay away from those," he said, his voice sharp.
Elina blinked, startled.
"They're poisonous," Kai added, giving her a pointed look. "I already told you—don't touch anything out here."
Elina lowered her head slightly, nodding. "S-Sorry."
Kai sighed and let go of her.
Then they continued moving.
They'd been walking through the forest all day.
With no wagons running between nearby towns, travel on foot was their only option.
As the recent beast waves had made travel too dangerous.
Merchants had been avoiding the routes now.
But Lina…
Despite the circumstances she'd insisted on going.
