Chapter 10

Winter’s POV

The tears that welled in my eyes made it difficult to focus on his face.

“You’ll be helping us ward off evil spirits for forty days, that’s all,” he explained with nonchalance.

What did it mean to ward off evil spirits for forty days? The uncertainty haunted me, and my eyes remained connected to his face. My tear-filled eyes sought answers in his expression.

My eyes widened in fright as his words registered. I looked around, the clearing suddenly feeling more ominous than before.

“Ward off evil spirits?” I now said aloud.

“It’s just a ritual don’t worry. If your seed is as strong as I hear, you’ll survive,” he said.

I swallowed with fear. Did he mean I might die?

It was then that I realized we were in the Black Woods, a place whispered about in hushed tones—a place where no one ever emerged from alive.

Dread settled in my chest. Fear, anger, and desperation churned inside my stomach. And there was a storm of e