The greatest adventure

Previously

…Mateo’s hand moved swiftly, a long, curved knife appearing in his grip. “And I know how to defend what is precious,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. The jungle, which had seemed so serene moments before, now crackled with an unspoken tension, the ancient trees bearing silent witness to the brewing storm. Anya knew, with absolute certainty, that her adventure had just entered its most critical phase. The echoes of the past had led her to this moment, and the future of the Moon Orchid rested on the choices she made now.