The days after the shadows disappeared were quieter, almost shockingly so. The packhouse felt different, like the air itself had changed. For the first time in years, I could breathe without that constant tension in my chest. The forest around us was alive in a peaceful way, birds singing, leaves rustling in the wind, sunlight warming the clearing.
I spent the first few days simply walking through the packhouse and the fields, trying to feel normal. Asher stayed close, not because he had to, but because he wanted to. His presence was steady, like an anchor I didn’t know I needed so badly.
Arlo had thrown himself into studying the seal and the remnants of the shadow energy. Even though the shadows were gone, he didn’t want to take any chances. He made notes, mapped the areas where the ene
