What you think does matter

  The Hidden Monster War Descent into Shadows Chapter Nine The air at the top of the tower hit me like a splash of cold water. It was thin and crisp, carrying a faint earthy smell of damp leaves and pine drifting from the forest far below. My breath misted in the chill, curling white as it faded into the night. The wind whistled softly past the stone walls, a strange contrast to the chaos we had just escaped. Evelyn dropped her bag with a heavy thud, pulling out a tightly coiled rope. “We don’t have much time.” The group spread out to survey the space. The top of the tower was smaller than I’d hoped—a jagged platform with crumbling edges and a steep, deadly drop on all sides. Beyond the ledge, the forest stretched like a black ocean, its towering trees whispering secrets in the wind. Shadows rippled where the moonlight barely touched, promising safety if we could just reach them. “It’s too high,” Mia muttered, hugging herself as she peered over the side. Her voice was tight with di...

The Hidden Monster War The Wild Breaks In Chapter Seven The first slam against the outpost door was deafening, reverberating through the stone walls and shaking loose a small cloud of dust from the ceiling beams. It was followed by an eerie silence, broken only by the crackling of the fire and the rapid thudding of my own heartbeat. Evelyn spun toward the door, her daggers glinting in the dim firelight. Her jaw was clenched tight, and the muscles in her neck stood out like cables under strain. She wasn’t scared—that wasn’t the right word. She was ready, coiled like a spring about to snap. “What was that?” Brady’s voice was barely above a whisper, but the panic in it was unmistakable. “Werewolves,” Evelyn said simply. She didn’t even look at him, her focus fixed on the door. My mouth went dry. The thought of those creatures—hulking, feral, and unstoppable—on the other side of that fragile wooden door made my stomach churn. I could almost see their glowing eyes in my mind, smell the wet ...