Chapter 4 — A Fateful Encounter

Third Person (Alternating focus between Naomi and Aidan)

Naomi crouched low in the thick underbrush, her breathing shallow and controlled. The Depthwoods’ hum was louder here, a steady vibration that thrummed through the damp earth and into her bones. She could feel the forest’s unease pressing against her mind, its tendrils of thought brushing hers like prodding fingers. Something—or someone—had intruded deeper into its heart. Her mark tingled along her forearm, faintly glowing through the worn leather of her coat. She pressed a hand over it reflexively, as though she could muffle its warning.