WHISPERS BENEATH THE PINES

didn't run

swa

unged from the trees, landing where she had stood a heartbeat before. Riven yanked he

id, voice low but comman

ver a twisted root. Her boots scraped

was alive inside them. Leaves whispered curse

, the Shade

der a low branch as Riven pulled her forward th

r names," he said. "O

ons. Got anything that expla

the last

said that

sense yo

ked tree with a hollowed trunk. It looked ancien

," he o

shriek of a Shaded cracked through the tre

ess. Damp and cold but th

ing the entrance with a whisper i

. The world out

like that

the bark, heart tryin

wall, arms crossed, breathing stea

he hell..

s waking," he

e. It makes sense. A murder tree, shadow g

didn't

osed to awaken th

't do a

came

ked onto her, inten

aits,watches and when the balance is d

summon a

ts soil. You s

ned. "I

interrupted. "

eath h

t d

she kept

rning roots and the shad

ou know a

y. "Because I've

me, neither o

bark behind her. She tried to think of anything that made sense, any

ly spoke, her

s if I leave

't," he

hy

our blood. You're not a visitor a

ing to hold onto her sa

wanted to be possesse

mile and he

watch

s a constellation he ha

being human?" she a

ed. Almost sad.

spec

st marked bro

iffened. "Br

ried t

n't sa

n't ne

wallow

about her,"

ce was co

happened

her," he said.

d y

protector

bli

hey didn't fade, but they cracked, just slightly,

o

a

eli

oing to fail

napped toward

know that,"

" she said. "I'm

ns being claime

jaw c

walked to him, sl

tory," she said. "If I'm supposed to be this..

ared dow

and what it means

plain it

esit

, fingers ghosting over the back of her lower hip. His hand

ed faintly under

eel that?

a slow, rhythmic pulse. Like the

es

pped h

s a tether. Aven, your soul

sked for a

," he w

yet

t," he

-

ly eased, Riven led

and wild, but the Shade

touching, but not quite apart. Their si

ee line near the edge

come again?

ed. "They

stay c

lways

y looked at her again and fo

small

for