60

"Where are the others?" she asked, her voice laced with a sense of urgency.

Ezra, the wise and wizened guardian of the Blackwood, stepped forward, his expression grave.

"They've gone to gather the Blackwood's protectors," he said, his voice low and serious. "Damian's influence has spread, and we must act quickly if we're to have any chance of stopping him."

Ana felt a chill run down her spine at the mention of Damian's name. The man's twisted ambitions had already brought so much pain and suffering to the Blackwood, and she knew that the stakes had never been higher.

"Then we have no time to lose," she said, her voice filled with a quiet determination.

Beside her, the wolf-creature – a powerful, primal being that had become an extension of her son's very soul – let out a low, rumbling growl, its golden eyes gleaming with a fierce protectiveness.

Ana reached out, gently running her hand through the creature's thick fur, taking comfort in its steady presence.

"Lead the way, Ezra," she s