Lyra offered a small nod of acknowledgment, though her thoughts lingered on Keon as they crossed into the wilderness. “Let’s go,” she said, her voice steady despite the emotions swirling inside her.
Together, the trio began their journey, their steps filled with a mix of hope and trepidation. Somewhere out there, the scattered clues Adrian had left behind awaited them, holding the answers they desperately sought.
The journey was grueling, the forest thick and unrelenting as the trio ventured deeper into the wilderness. Misery’s steps were steady, but her body ached with the strain of travel. Beside her, Eryon moved with the precision of a predator, his amber eyes scanning the landscape for any sign of a trail.
Lyra carried the healer’s notes, the yellowed pages marked with scrawled symbols and hastily drawn maps.
“This says Adrian passed through a den not far from here,” she said, her voice breaking the heavy silence. “It’s abandoned now, but it might hold something.”
When they arrived, the den was a shell of its former self, its walls crumbling and the air thick with the stench of decay. Eryon crouched at the entrance, his sharp nose catching a faint scent.
“Adrian was here,” he said, his voice low but certain.
Misery knelt beside him, her hands brushing against the ground. Her fingers found a tattered piece of fabric half-buried beneath the dirt. She held it up, the faded material catching the light. “This could be something he left for us,” she murmured, turning it over in her hands.
Eryon leaned closer, his eyes narrowing. “There’s a mark on it,” he said. “What does it mean?”
Misery’s stomach churned as she recognized the faint sigil stitched into the fabric. Her voice was tight as she replied, “It’s the crest of the Crescent Howl pack.”
Lyra’s brow furrowed. “The Crescent Howl? Aren’t they—”
“They’re ruthless,” Misery interrupted, her voice grim. “If she went there…” She trailed off, unable to finish the thought.
Eryon straightened, his jaw tightening with resolve. “Then we’ll go there too,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “No matter the cost.”
The three of them exchanged a silent look, their shared determination outweighing the fear that lingered in the back of their minds. If the baby’s trail led to the Crescent Howl, it meant they were one step closer to finding the child they had all fought so hard to protect.