...The moon hung pale above the jagged ridges of Snake Mountain, silver light spilling over the dark valley below. The faint hiss of night creatures echoed through the stones, mingling with the quiet rush of the underground river that ran past the cavern mouth.
Winter had began to ease away, allowing mother nature to slowly reclaim the world.
Outside the entrance, Penny stood on a ledge, her arms crossed, her eyes glistening but defiant. The night wind toyed with her dark hair, brushing it across her face as she stared into the distance, refusing to look behind her.
From within the cave came the soft sound of approaching footsteps—steady, measured, and graceful.
Queen Eli emerged from the shadows, her robes trailing like ripples of liquid silk. She paused a few paces behind Penny, her expression calm yet kind, the faint glow of her golden snake eyes reflecting the moonlight.
"You're angry with him," Eli said softly. It wasn't a question—it was simply truth spoken aloud.
