Chapter 47

Lorelei The sounds of the forest enveloped me as I moved deeper into the trees alone. I gripped the rope Xander had given me and flung it upward, catching a sturdy branch above. With practiced ease, I began climbing. Years spent among rogues had taught me to move silently, efficiently. A rustling sound caught my attention from behind, and I froze mid-climb, my body suspended in the air. I hooked one leg over a branch, my muscles tensing as I held perfectly still, eyes fixed forward. A snake—thick as my forearm—slithered from between the leaves, lunging toward my neck in a flash of red scales. My hand shot out, catching it mid-strike. Without hesitation, I hurled it down onto the rocks below. The snake landed with a sickening THUD, its body writhing as it attempted to escape into the underbrush. I dropped from the tree, stomping hard on its tail. The creature whipped around, fangs bared as it struck at me. My blade was already in motion, deflecting its lunge and creating an opening. I u