Chapter 269

• This time, I could feel the presence of the creature zipping through the forest, leaving a faint, glowing trail like dappled patches of light imprinted in my vision. It reminded me of camping with my father—how I’d gaze at the campfire until the embers danced in my sight, lingering long after I’d closed my eyes.
• Whatever it was, it held no malice. There was a life force within it, distinct and ancient, almost as if it were woven from the very essence of the forest itself. I knew, without question, that this being had existed long before most Fae and had been born at the dawn of the forest’s own life. It darted between the trees, leaving me spinning to keep up. Suddenly, it paused, hovering between two towering trunks, thick enough to dwarf a pickup truck. The light shimmered, casting earthy hues as it drifted between the trees.
• “I think it’s waiting for us,” murmured Blue, her voice laced with awe. “It wants us to follow.”