Chapter 164

Simon POV The forest was still. My body was tense, every instinct sharpened, my ears straining for another crack in the underbrush. Aisha’s grip on my arm was tight, her breath uneven against my shoulder. I shifted to shield her, ready to strike, ready to tear apart anything that dared to come close. And then, A low rustle. A flash of movement. Two amber eyes blinked back at me through the shadows. For a heartbeat my pulse surged, ready for war, until a deer stepped into the clearing. Its slender neck stretched cautiously, ears twitching, before it bounded away into the darkness with a crash of leaves. Just a deer. I exhaled slowly, tension bleeding out of me, though my body was still thrumming with adrenaline. Aisha’s fingers loosened on my arm, and she gave a shaky laugh that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “A deer,” she whispered, almost incredulous. I turned to her, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. “You see? Even the forest knows when to test us.” My voice was low, softer now