The Forest Pact
the clearing with a peaceful illumination,
em. And amidst the quiet calmness, there was an inexplicable heat inside her chest,
respite
f the heart weakened, and a cold shiver seeped into the c
t over," h
clutched his arm. "What do y
sion. "They were only the start. I can sense it; the fo
ing and deeper than anything Aurora had ever heard. Her blood chill
tle of shadow fur, and his eyes
shrank from him, the light patterns on
led, his voice a thre
w tightene
gut knotting at the strain
eader many years ago, before my time. He was banished for atte
imited perspective, Silas. I searched for power. Liber
despite the terror churning within he
grew. "Ah, the human. You've formed a conn
otectively in front of A
erything is intertwined: the heart, the pack, the forest, and her." His scarlet ey
thudded. "Wha
peared, and a cold g
ed you here, human. You're not an observer you're pa
darkness around him seemed to take on a life of its own. Dark tendrils slith
as bellowed, ch
ht with a ferocity t
of the shadows provided him with an advantage. Aurora stared
re racing. She could
and the Heart need
ath, she walked towa
t was staggering, yet she
e thwarted, the He
rested her hands agains
ough her, and she gasped as visions swirled into her mind
connection to the Heart, and the
c represented: a darknes
oice whispered in her mind. It was ge
ed, a determinatio
glowed more intensely,
, her voice standing
eyes growing wide as he watc
what are
erting itself. "The Heart is linked wit
ny time, nodding in
nergy running through her, a
ded, filling the clearing wi
nd retreated, their
ing with rage. He directed his gaze
know what y
voice unshakable. "I hear y
the light from the heart burst
ows came apart, his body wa
ilent again. Malric had vanished, and the
from the exertion. Silas was beside her i
breathed, his voi
him, her own breath t
s gentle as he pushed a lock
azing, you
ntly. "I'm beginn
ng tree, and Aurora experienced a sense of
ime being, but she knew thei
r in a bond greater than words. The forest had selected them, and