Selena.
The morning air was colder than I expected, settling against my skin as I walked through the trees with steady, unhurried steps.
The weight in my hands grounded me, the animal hanging loosely from my grip, its body still warm as the blood slowly cooled against my fingers.
I had left before sunrise without permission or hesitation, moving through the forest in silence.
It was my first kill, and you can't begin to imagine how proud I was of myself.
For the first time since I had been brought here, every step had been mine to take, every decision mine to make. No one had followed me, and no one had stopped me.
Now, as I made my way back, the cave came into view, unchanged and familiar. But the moment I drew closer, I felt it—the tension waiting inside, sharp and uneven, like something stretched too tightly.
I slowed just slightly as voices reached me from within.
"She's not here."
