The letter was still warm when Anne unfolded it again.
Mrs. Hodgins awaits you. The woods will open.
No address. No instructions. Just a wax seal shaped like a crescent moon and a whisper of something ancient in the parchment's scent.
Zahir stood beside her, arms crossed, his human form flickering slightly at the edges. "We shouldn't go," he said quietly. "But we have to."
Anne nodded. "If we don't, the creature might come back. And next time, it won't just be Leo."
They left just after sunrise.
No one knew. Not Mira, who had barely slept since Leo vanished. Not Brittany, who was too busy pretending everything was fine. Not Daniel, who hadn't texted Anne since the fair.
Anne wore boots and a denim jacket, her curls tied back. Zahir walked beside her, silent, his eyes scanning the horizon.
The woods were just beyond the old train tracks. A place people avoided. A place that didn't show up on maps.
As they crossed into the trees, Anne felt a strange pull in her chest—like something was watching. Waiting.
It was a new week.
And with it, three wishes.
Zahir had explained it the night before: "The magic resets every cycle. Three wishes. Use them wisely. They're your only protection."
Anne hadn't replied. She just stared at the letter.
Now, in the daylight, the woods seemed almost peaceful. Birds chirped. Leaves rustled. The path was narrow but clear.
But as they walked, the trees grew taller. The light dimmed. The air thickened.
Hours passed.
No towns. No signs. Just endless forest.
Anne frowned. "We should've reached the next town by now."
Zahir stopped. "We're drifting."
"What?"
"The woods are bending around us. This isn't natural."
Anne's heart thudded. "We need to turn back."
They spun around.
The path behind them was gone.
In its place, a cabin.
Small. Crooked. Made of dark wood that looked older than time.
Anne stepped forward. "That wasn't there before."
Zahir's voice was tight. "It's her."
Back in Eastbridge, Mira sat on her bed, phone in hand.
No texts from Anne.
She'd tried calling. Messaging. Nothing.
Her stomach twisted.
Something was wrong.
She stood, grabbed her jacket, and whispered to herself, "If she doesn't respond by morning, I'm going after her."
Outside, the wind howled.
And in the woods, the cabin waited.