= Mikael =
We reached the edge of the forest just as the light began to thin, the towering trees of the Moon Forest rising before us like a living wall. The air shifted the moment we crossed into its shadow—cooler, heavier, humming with something ancient and watchful.
Waiting near the tree line were Amara’s assistant and several deltas, their postures stiff the second they caught sight of me. I counted them automatically. I had only assigned two deltas to Amara.
Which meant the rest were the back-ups. Necessary backup, if we were going to search every twisted path and hidden hollow this forest had to offer.
Before I could speak, Caryl broke.
“A-Alpha… I deserve to die!” she sobbed, dropping to her knees and bowing so low her forehead pressed into the dirt. Her voice shook as if it mig
