Reana stepped out of the bathroom minutes later wearing a thick woolen cloak. It had only been a few days since winter crept into the woods, yet it already felt like weeks - the cold was already clawing at her skin like it had lived in her bones forever.
The wooden floor felt cold under her feet too, each breath she took became slightly visible in the air like a whispered warning.
Reana frowned. It wasn't like this before she went into the bathroom. Why had the temperature dropped so suddenly?
Her steps slowed as an uneasy chill settled in her spine. She glanced toward the window, but the shutters were firmly closed. No wind. No open cracks. Yet the air felt unnaturally still, dense, like the forest was holding its breath.
And then, it dawned on her who was doing that.
Ryder!
