Hidden deep within the thick forest that bordered the right side of the road leading away from the palace, the air hung heavy with tension. The trees, old and gnarled, stood like ancient sentinels, their thick branches curling toward the sky in silent judgment. In a small clearing nestled between moss-covered stones and a patch of thick underbrush, Jorell waited. His eyes flicked back and forth with anticipation, every part of his body coiled tight like a spring.
He was not alone.
Adams, his loyal beta, stood nearby with arms folded tightly across his chest. He was tall and imposing, a sharp contrast to the figure lying casually on the forest floor just a few paces away.
