Chapter 11
The Weight of the Ringwood
A former Jersey Hero, now corrupted, aids Bellweather. The team must confront this fallen protector in the forests of Ringwood, a battle that tests their resolve and forces them to question the true cost of power and betrayal.
The air in Ringwood State Park hung heavy, thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. Sunlight, fractured by the dense canopy, dappled the forest floor in shifting patterns of gold and shadow. Maverick Smith Bernard, his heart thrumming a nervous rhythm against his ribs, followed Merrick Lee Franklin deeper into the ancient woods. Each rustle of leaves, each snap of a twig, sent a fresh wave of unease through him. He’d seen the news reports, heard the hushed whispers of a former hero, a protector of the northern reaches, fallen prey to the dark allure of Alex Bellweather.
“He was once a guardian of these very trees, Maverick,” Merrick’s voice, a low murmur, cut through the oppressive quiet. “A man named Silas Thorne. His family’s legacy was tied to the enduring strength of the ancient oaks, the resilience of the land itself.”
Maverick scuffed his boot against a moss-covered stone. “And now he’s… Bellweather’s pawn? What happened?”
Keep reading "The Weight of the Ringwood"
The full chapter is in the AIBookCraft app — free to read, with your spot saved.
Free on iOS & Android · No signup to read