Letting Azreal come into the forest would be like announcing their presence with a fireworks display, so the girls convinced him to stay and wait for them. He made a protesting noise from the back of his throat but eventually agreed.
It was just the two of them now. Hurrying through the dark forest by the light of the flames conjured by Diana in her palm. This part of the forest was a far cry from the Grove of Terr'ane. Though the trees were further apart, the dark sky and the menacing shadows made claustrophobia creep in. The most unsettling thing was the silence. The prickly feeling of watching eyes ran down Diana's spine while she waited for the nocturnal creatures of the forest to make a sound. They didn't. Only the shadows felt alive in the flickering light of the flames Diana held high.