Jessica pov.
I could feel my heart in my throat as we walked through the woods, every step heavier than the last. The air felt thick, almost watchful. Doubts and fear tangled inside me—what if I don’t succeed? What if the pull, the bond, is too strong to sever?
“We’re here,” Linda said softly.
We stopped in front of a small hut that looked like it had been standing for centuries. The wood was dark with age, moss growing across the roof. I swallowed hard. I hadn’t even told Zane where I was going. If this went wrong, he wouldn’t know where to find me.
Linda knocked three times. The sound echoed faintly before a low voice responded from within.
We stepped inside, and the air immediately changed—dense with the scent of herbs and smoke. Dried plants hung from the ceiling, and rows of jars
