Chapter 6
The Hollow Gift
Tee leads her family through the forest toward a hidden sanctuary, but Keira's darkness resurfaces and manifests as a lure. Asher's light falters, and Tee must confront the source of Keira's corruption—a shadow-locket gifted by Lady Elephant Legs. Destroying it costs Tee a painful sacrifice, yet buys them a fragile respite.
The forest swallowed them whole, its canopy a tangled web of leaves and shadows. Tee held Keira's hand in a grip that would not break, her other arm wrapped around Asher, who walked with a steadiness that belied his years. Flanan led the way, his steps sure despite the dim light filtering through the trees. The sounds of pursuit had faded, but the silence that replaced it was heavy, pregnant with threat.
"There's a place," Flanan said, his voice low. "An old hunter's cabin, a few miles north. It's hidden, warded by iron and salt. We can rest there."
Tee nodded, her throat too tight for words. She could feel Keira trembling beside her, the heat of her daughter's skin a reminder that she was real, that this was not a dream. But the memory of Keira's betrayal, the way she had led them into the trap, lingered like a splinter beneath Tee's skin.
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