Book Eight: Chapter 112

“Those trees are gettin’ a might close,” said Sulyvahn. Cerberus turned and blasted the offending foliage, briefly revealing a large patch of scraggly bushes that had nearly grown beneath them. The hellhound paced in a slow circle, burning away whatever dared to encroach upon them. The smoke lingered, causing Sofia to wet down some rags for her and Mike to breathe through. As the activity increased, the voices grew louder. Only Mike and Sofia seemed to hear them.

The darkness lifted a bit as sunrise came on Earth. The whispering died down, making Mike think there was a correlation. When Nyx returned, she had a few dark lines on her face that looked like wounds.

“Are you okay?” Mike asked.

“The dead forest didn’t wish to let me go,” she said. “After I escaped, it tried to prevent me from returning to you. We will travel this way for almost a quarter of your miles. You will know where the living woods begin.” She jabbed a finger at Cerberus. “DO NOT BURN THEM! Though