Damon stopped beside me, but he didn't say anything.
I took a step forward. My boots slid slightly against the loose rock. Alaric caught my arm, steadying me.
"Careful," he muttered.
"Thanks," I whispered back.
'Such a reasonable man, if only the other three could have half of his grace.'
We began the descent slowly with Rhydian leading the way. He used a curved blade to slash through the hanging vines as he moved.
The deeper we went, the more the forest seemed to hold its breath. It was the quiet crunch of boots and the occasional mutter of someone cursing under their breath that made it livelier than a graveyard.
After about ten minutes of walking downhill, we reached a flattened clearing. The trees bent away in a circle like something had burned the ground once and never let anything grow again. The crystal insect hovered low, pulsing with tired light.
"We'll rest here for a bit," Rhydian said.
