"Where are you, Chloe?" I whispered into the dark room, my knuckles turning white around the leather hilt of my sword as I stepped out into the freezing night to join the hunt.
The thunderous roar of the waterfall behind the cave had softened into a steady, rhythmic hum that echoed off the dry granite walls.
Soft morning light filtered through the thick curtain of cascading water, burning away the dark mountain shadows and illuminating the misty valley below. The heavy storm had finally passed, leaving the high border air fresh, crisp, and biting cold.
I stood near the mouth of the cavern, my boots resting inches from the damp stone edge.
I looked out over the vast, endless mountain range stretching toward the horizon. Deep green pine forests rolled across the granite peaks, their high
