Agnes
Dawn had barely broken over the horizon when we set out the next morning. Elijah and I had woken early, checked in on a still-sleeping Thea, and met James and Lena in the foyer. James had prepared a backpack full of supplies—ropes, flashlights, water bottles, and energy bars.
Richard had been surprisingly understanding when we’d explained that we wanted to explore some more local hiking trails. He’d even offered to keep an eye on Thea along with our security team.
The morning air was crisp and cool as we made our way through the forest. Lena took the lead, navigating the trails with confidence. I found myself grateful for her presence; without her, we would have been relying solely on the vague directions from the letter.
“It’s about a two-hour hike to the north ridge
