CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY - FIVE - THE DINNER WITH THE MAGE

"Those hunters," Anna said quietly to Freya. "They've probably been tracking us since we entered the forest." Freya nodded grimly. "Most likely. And they won't give up easily. We'll need to be even more careful from here on out." Magnus joined them, his arm freshly bandaged. "We should rest while we can," he advised. "Tomorrow's going to be another long day." As Anna settled down to sleep, her mind raced with everything that had happened. The enchanted river, the brutal fight with the hunters – it all seemed like something out of a nightmare. And yet, she knew that the worst might still be ahead. She thought of Erik, back in New York, probably worried sick about her. She thought of the mage they were seeking, and the dangerous artifact they carried. So much was riding on this journey, and the odds seemed stacked against them. But as she looked around at her companions – battered and bruised, but still determined – she felt a glimmer of hope. They had faced danger and come out aliv