•Apple Forest•
[Ovelia's POV]
A heavy silence settled inside the wagon, thick and expectant, broken only by the steady creak of the wheels and the rustle of leaves as we passed beneath the first gnarled boughs of the Apple Forest. We were all waiting, our attention fixed on Gale, who sat cross-legged in the center of the wagon floor, his small form unusually still.
As the dappled sunlight of the forest floor began to dance across our faces, Gale finally spoke, his voice flat. "Do you mean the story about the werewolf male traveler and the female fairy?" he asked, not looking at any of us.
"Yes," Ann answered from the driver's seat, her voice clear and direct.
I watched Gale's face. His expression, usually set in a permanent scowl, shifted into something darker, something ancient and pained. The playful light in his eyes died, replaced by a deep, smoldering shadow.
