Chapter 38

Before departing, I extinguished the candle and murmured a quiet prayer—a practice I'd developed through the years. Lyra sneered, yet she remained silent.

I grasped Chloe's hand as we emerged into the refreshing night air, the woods surrounding us illuminated by a silvery glow. Dusty made a quiet snorting sound from his pen, but I moved on without him. This was an exploration, not a voyage.

"Keep near me," I whispered, gripping Chloe's hand.

"I will," she vowed, her voice barely audible.

The mansion looked as though it had emerged from the forest itself. Its shadowy outline appeared in the distance, partially draped in ivy that grasped its aged stone walls like bony fingers. The roof was steep and uneven, its contours creating pointed shadows beneath the moonlight.