THE HAUNTING OF WILDERS RIDGE

nd Mara like a fog, until they seemed to fill her mind. The air was thick with a cold, unnatural force, and the

pocket. His eyes flicked nervously from Mara to the figure in front of them. "You don't know what you'r

of them-it was something older, something more dangerous. The hooded figure raised its hand again, a

shiver down Mara's spine. "You were supposed to keep her away fr

trying to make sense of the situation. She had come here looking for an

anded, her voice shaking.

You don't want to know," he muttered his eyes flicking toward th

ed, its voice laced with venom. "You think you're the hero in this story? You've bee

l? The man who had claimed to be trying to help her, the one who had l

mind struggling to comprehend what w

ething darker-guilt, perhaps? "I never meant for you to be dragged into this, Ma

movement. "It's too late for regrets," the figure said, its voice cold and

al was overwhelming-how had Samuel, the one person

ded, her voice shaky but firm. S

at's mine," it hissed. "And I'll take it. You're a pawn in this game, Mara. AndSam

never wanted this for you," he said, stepping between Mara and the

is all part of his plan? She didn't know who to believe, and the dark

ying to save himself now. He's the one who let the Stone's power slip into the wro

m the start. Hecould see the truth now-Samuel had been involved in this from the start. He had kn

ed the air. The trees around them seemed to groan as if the entire forest was awakening. In that mome