Charlotte’s POV
Nora was gone. And it was all my fault.
If only I hadn’t fallen asleep. If only I had kept an eye on her like I was supposed to, then none of this would have happened. But now here I was, running through the forest like a woman possessed, chasing the sound of a tiny voice calling for me.
I hadn’t heard Nora speak in several minutes now, and my panic was escalating to the point of a near-heart attack. Last I’d heard, she sounded terrified, crying for help. Now, I heard nothing.
I crashed through the underbrush, branches whipping at my face and arms as I ran. The forest was darker than I expected, the canopy overhead blocking out most of the late afternoon sunlight as it began to set. My lungs were starting to burn, although whether from the panic or the runni
