yn's

tle of leaves a warning. I could feel its pulse through my feet, through my hands, and somewhere deep in my ch

wanted to run, to hide, to pretend I was just the girl who had left Silver pine year

canning the shadows. "They're watching

ing beneath me, as if it were testing me, probing my fear. I clenched m

figures emerged-Blackridge scouts. Their movements were silent but precise,

of me, shielding me

"The forest's Luna." His voice was low, mocking. "I can

ed beneath my feet, small at first, then rising, twisting like serpents in wa

"Interesting," he murmured,

ightened. "

like living spears, entangling the intruders. They struggled, but the earth held firm, restraining them w

rough me. My legs trembled, and I barely caught mysel

I know. You didn't. But this is who you are now, Evely

erything... Yes, eve

tly, snarling, claws scraping the roots. "Release us!"

aking but firm. "You lea

ck, guiding me to stay steady. "

s tightening just enough to warn, not to kill. The scouts' eyes wi

er this time. "Leave Silve

snarling threats that barely carried in the night air. When they were

ing. "Leo... I can't control it," I admitted,

l get better. But this-" He glanced at the clearing, where the ground still thrummed with

y head. "

ply. "And you made them lea

in the trees. But the peace was temporary. I could feel it-Black

w and twisting through the dense forest. Every step felt like walking on a knife's edge

t," I admitted quietl

lly, he said, "Because the forest chooses. And it chose you. There's no reason, no timi

had chosen me. And that choice would change everything. Not just my

el eyes following us. Not wolves this time-someth

ing at Leo. "Do

. "Yes. Be ready.

me forward. I clenched my fists, trying to steady my trembling

taller than any human, cloaked in darkness. Its eyes glo

n mine. "Stay behind m

in, twisting, rising, forming a protective barrier around us. But this presenc

silently. This is the

liberate. "So, Luna has returned.

wisting in my stomach. "Who... w

friend... and a warning. Control comes with sacrifice. The forest wi

's jaw tightened. "Stay close," he m

lized: I wasn't just learning to control the forest. I

idea if I wou

ed violently beneath my feet. "The first trial be

orget: the howl of Blackridge wolves, cl

th terrifying certainty that nothing in Silver