The Path to Hollow Grove
The Path to Hollow Grove
The morning broke gray and heavy, clouds pressing low against the horizon. Elara felt the chill long before the wind touched her skin. The shard against her chest was warmer than ever, pulsing like a second heart. She had slept little, her dreams haunted by whispers and flashes of light that weren’t her own. When she looked at her hands now, faint silver lines ran beneath her skin, glowing with each heartbeat.
They had been walking since dawn. The forest stretched endlessly before them, thick with fog and silence. Aiden led the way, his senses sharp, while Kai and Lila followed close behind. None of them spoke much. Every step seemed to echo with unseen weight.
Elara’s mind wandered to Draven’s warning. The hunger must feed before it can be silenced. The words made her stomach twist. What if she lost control before reaching the Hollow Grove? What if the hunger decided to feed on them?
She stopped suddenly, gripping a nearby tree to steady herself. Aiden turned, eyes narrowing. “Elara?”
She forced a breath. “It’s nothing. Just tired.”
He didn’t believe her but said nothing. Instead, he took her hand, his warmth cutting through the cold. “We’ll rest soon.”
Kai glanced back. “Rest? We can’t stop now. The last time we camped near this ridge, the Eclipse Order found us before sunrise.”
“They’re gone,” Lila said quietly. “Or they’re hiding. Either way, we can’t keep running forever.”
Elara wanted to agree, but something inside her disagreed. The hunger whispered beneath her thoughts, restless and impatient. You are surrounded by strength. Take it.
She shook her head sharply. “We keep moving. The Hollow Grove can’t be far now.”
They pushed on through the fog until the ground began to change beneath their feet. The forest floor turned to soft moss, and the air grew warmer. The scent of water drifted toward them—clean and faintly sweet. Ahead, sunlight broke through the clouds, falling in pale beams through the trees.
They stepped into a clearing unlike any they had seen before. The grass glowed faintly, silver at the edges, and tall stone pillars circled a shallow pool at the center. The air shimmered with quiet energy.
“This isn’t the Grove,” Aiden said, scanning the area. “But it feels close.”
Lila crouched near one of the pillars. “These markings are old. The same runes that were on the seal we found near the river.”
Kai knelt beside her. “So we’re walking through the same kind of magic that held the hunger.”
Elara moved toward the pool, drawn by something she couldn’t name. The water was still, reflecting the sky perfectly. She knelt beside it and reached out. The moment her fingers brushed the surface, her reflection changed.
It wasn’t her face that looked back—it was the Queen’s. Sylvia’s eyes stared at her through the water, silver and full of knowing.
Elara froze. “No.”
The reflection smiled. “You can’t run from what you are, child of the moon.”
Her heart pounded. “You’re dead.”
“Dead?” The reflection’s voice was calm and cold. “You can’t kill what the moon created. You carry me now. You carry all of it.”
The water rippled violently, and a surge of energy shot through Elara’s arm. She fell backward, gasping as silver light spread across her body. The shard burned against her skin.
Aiden rushed forward, catching her before she hit the ground. “Elara!”
She trembled in his arms, her eyes glowing bright. “She’s here,” she whispered. “Sylvia. She’s inside the hunger.”
Kai swore under his breath. “That witch just won’t stay dead.”
Lila’s voice shook. “If she’s part of the hunger, then she’s still feeding.”
Aiden looked down at Elara, his grip tightening. “Then we stop her before she consumes you.”
Elara’s vision blurred. The world tilted, colors blending together. She could hear Sylvia’s voice inside her mind now, layered with the hunger’s whisper. You think you’re its master. You’re nothing but its vessel.
Her pulse quickened. The hunger reacted to her fear, growing stronger. The light around her flared brighter, spreading through the clearing. The air crackled.
“Elara, stop!” Aiden said, shaking her gently.
“I can’t,” she gasped. “It’s taking over.”
Kai and Lila backed away as the ground began to tremble. The pool of water rippled, glowing red beneath the silver.
The hunger’s voice filled her mind completely. Feed. You are the moon’s breath. Take what is yours.
Elara felt something deep inside her break loose. Power rushed through her veins like fire. She could feel everything—the heartbeat of the earth, the pulse of the forest, the warmth of Aiden’s hand on her skin. It was intoxicating.
Her claws extended, eyes burning bright. For a heartbeat, she almost let go.
Then she heard Draven’s voice, faint and distant. Remember who you are, Elara.
The world snapped back into focus. She gasped and wrenched herself free of the hunger’s pull. The light faded, leaving her shaking. The others stared at her, wide-eyed.
Aiden spoke first. “You scared us.”
“I scared myself,” she said quietly. “It’s getting stronger.”
Kai looked toward the trees. “We can’t stay here. If she loses control again, this whole place will burn.”
Elara nodded weakly. “You’re right. The Hollow Grove is calling me. I can feel it. If we reach it before the next full moon, maybe I can still contain this.”
They left the clearing, following the faint pull in her chest. The forest darkened as they moved, the air thick with the scent of rain and stone. Somewhere in the distance, thunder rolled.
As night fell, they made camp beneath a cluster of ancient trees. Aiden kept watch while Kai and Lila rested. Elara sat alone near the fire, staring into the flames.
The shard pulsed again, slower now, but steady. She whispered into the night, “I’ll control you. I’ll find a way.”
For a moment, there was silence. Then, faintly, she heard Sylvia’s voice within her mind. We’ll see, child of the light. The moon always claims what is hers.
Elara closed her eyes, gripping the shard tightly. She didn’t know if Sylvia’s words were a threat or a promise. But one thing was certain—the hunger was no longer asleep.
It was awake. And it was watching.