Chapter 189

Pandora's POV 

The forest was dark, a labyrinth of towering trees that seemed to close in around me as I ran. Rolan’s screams pierced the air, echoing from every direction. 

My heart pounded in my chest, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I sprinted through the underbrush, desperate to find him.

"Rolan!" I shouted, but my voice seemed to be swallowed by the darkness. 

His screams grew louder, more agonized, and I felt a rising panic. Where was he? Why couldn’t I find him? I stumbled over twisted roots and low-hanging branches, my feet moving faster than my mind could process. 

Every shadow seemed alive, every sound magnified in the oppressive stillness of the forest. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, but beneath it lingered something else, something metallic, blood.

Suddenly, movement to my right caught my attention. I turned, my heart leaping into my throat. Ashley was running toward me