Chapter 4 — Kindred Spirits

Skye Ashbourne

The sun hovered low in the sky as Skye moved through the forest at the edges of the Whispering Glade, her arms laden with a bundle of wild herbs and roots she had foraged. Each step felt like crossing an invisible boundary, the glade’s hum—a warm, steady rhythm—fading into the stillness beyond. Leaving its protective embrace was a necessity, though it always left her unsettled. Supplies, both mundane and magical, were crucial for her survival and for the child she carried.