Chapter 4: Into the Woods

Sophia's pulse thundered in her ears as Ethan vanished into the dense forest. The scream had been chilling—high-pitched, filled with terror, and unmistakably human.

Every instinct told her to follow him. Whatever was happening, she couldn't just stand by and do nothing. She grabbed her coat from the porch and sprinted after him, the damp earth squelching under her boots.

The trees loomed tall and shadowy, their branches twisting together to block out what little light remained. The air was colder here, the wind carrying an eerie silence that seemed to devour sound.

"Ethan!" she called, her voice trembling. "Wait!"

No answer.

Sophia pushed forward, the forest growing darker with each step. She stumbled over exposed roots and slipped on mossy stones, but she refused to turn back. The scream had come from somewhere in these woods, and she needed to know what was happening.

After what felt like an eternity, she heard the crunch of footsteps ahead. Relief flooded her. "Ethan!"

But when she broke through a thicket of undergrowth, it wasn't Ethan she saw.

A man stood in the clearing, his back to her. He wore a long, tattered coat, and his head was tilted as though he were listening to something only he could hear. The hairs on Sophia's neck stood on end.

"Hello?" she ventured, her voice barely above a whisper.

The man turned slowly, and Sophia's breath caught. His face was gaunt, his eyes sunken and wild, but it was the symbol on his neck that froze her in place—the Shadow Mark, etched into his skin like a brand.

"You shouldn't be here," the man rasped, his voice crackling like dry leaves. "The shadows… they don't like the light."

Sophia took an involuntary step back. "I don't understand—"

A rustling noise behind her made her spin around. Ethan burst into the clearing, his expression fierce. "Sophia, get back!"

The man snarled, his movements jerky and unnatural as he lunged toward Ethan. Before Sophia could react, Ethan shoved her behind him and raised his arm.

"Stay down," Ethan growled, his voice filled with a command she couldn't disobey.

The man charged, but Ethan moved with surprising speed, sidestepping the attack and striking out with brutal precision. The man crumpled to the ground, groaning and clutching his side.

Sophia scrambled to her feet, her heart racing. "What the hell is going on?"

Ethan grabbed her arm, his grip firm but not painful. "We need to leave. Now."

"But—"

"No!" he snapped, his eyes blazing. "Don't ask questions. Just move!"

He pulled her through the forest, his pace relentless. Sophia tried to keep up, her mind reeling. Who was that man? Why did he have the Shadow Mark? And how had Ethan fought him off so easily?

They emerged from the woods near the cliffside, the house looming ahead like a beacon. Ethan released her arm, but his gaze pinned her in place.

"You can't go into the woods again," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Do you understand me?"

Sophia swallowed hard. "Ethan, that man—he had the symbol. The one I saw in the library."

Ethan's jaw tightened. "You've been digging where you shouldn't."

"Because I deserve to know what's going on!" she snapped. "What's the Shadow Mark? Why was that man out there? And why do you seem to know exactly what's happening?"

For a moment, Ethan said nothing, his expression unreadable. Then he exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "It's not safe for you here, Sophia. You need to leave Havenwood."

Her chest tightened at his words. "You're hiding something. Something big. I'm not leaving until I find out the truth."

Ethan stepped closer, his intensity almost overwhelming. "If you stay, you'll regret it."

Their gazes locked, tension crackling in the air. Sophia's voice trembled, but she held her ground. "I'm not afraid of the truth."

Ethan's eyes darkened, a flicker of something dangerous passing through them. "You should be."

Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the guesthouse, leaving Sophia alone with more questions than answers—and the sinking realization that she might be in far deeper than she ever imagined.