Kael's heart was still racing from the encounter with the mysterious figure. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, and that the Shadowhand was closing in.
Lyra seemed to sense his unease. "We need to get out of here," she said, her voice low and urgent. "Now."
Thorne nodded, his eyes scanning the room. "I know a place where we can hide," he said. "A hidden city, deep in the heart of the forest."
Kael's eyes widened as he listened. A hidden city? It sounded like something out of a legend.
Lyra nodded, her expression serious. "It's our only chance," she said. "We have to get there before the Shadowhand does."
Thorne led them through the winding streets of Brindlemark, avoiding the main roads and sticking to the shadows. Kael could feel the weight of the Shadowhand's gaze upon them, and he knew that they were running out of time.
As they walked, the buildings around them grew taller and closer together. The air grew thick with the scent of damp earth and mold.
And then, suddenly, they were there. The hidden city stretched out before them, a labyrinth of twisting tunnels and narrow streets.
Kael's eyes widened as he looked around. The city was unlike anything he had ever seen. The buildings seemed to grow organically from the earth, as if they had been carved from the living rock itself.
Lyra smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Welcome to El'goroth," she said. "The city of the ancients."