Chapter 13: Forest of Fear

The forest was eerily quiet as I made my way through the trees, the night air thick with the scent of damp earth and pine.

I moved carefully, every snap of a twig underfoot setting my nerves on edge. If I was right about this, if there really was a secret meeting place out here, then I had to be prepared for anything.

I followed the directions I’d memorized from the book, my breath coming in short, sharp bursts as I pushed deeper into the woods.

The further I went, the more the forest seemed to close in around me, the trees pressing in on all sides as if trying to keep me out.

Finally, I reached the clearing. It was just as the book had described—a small, hidden hollow surrounded by dense trees, almost invisible unless you knew exactly where to look.

My heart raced as I crouched behind a large boulder at the edge of the clearing, my eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.

And then I saw them.

A group of figures emerged from the trees on the opposite side of the c