The forest felt strange. Energy surged through every leaf and blade of grass. In the back of her mind, she felt the pulse of a heartbeat. It grew until her head throbbed, and she had to stop. With concentration, she suppressed it, but the pulse continued to build, pressuring her. She took deep breaths and counted to calm her mind, letting it adjust. Cadmus capered around her feet. His jingling bell echoed eerily through the silent forest.
“Something strange is happening, Cadmus. It’s like I can hear the heartbeats of everyone.”
Like I used to.
When was the last time she felt like this? It had to be when she was young. Sometimes she woke up crying because of it, but her mother was there to soothe her.
How did she do it again?
Taking a deep breath, she walked on. She saw energy pulse
