Chapter 58

ACHILLES. I take Claudia’s hand and lead her to the exact spot where I can feel the strong vibrations of Andrew’s calls. Our feet are almost sinking into the thick layer of snow covering the forest floor. The low-hanging branches are cutting into our faces like small blades, sending dull waves of pain all over my skin. I push them out of the way, ducking when I need to, leaping over fallen logs until we arrive at a clearing. I look around, my eyes adjusting enough to the darkness that I can see the tiny indents in the snow, showing me a trail of small footsteps. I peer around to see where it ends, but to my surprise, it doesn’t extend anywhere beyond the clearing. “Andrew?” Claudia calls out. “Andrew, are you here?” Tension hangs in the air as silence follows that question. I try to extend my heightened senses right now to feel even the slightest shift in the air, the smallest amount of vibration on the ground… but nothing. There’s absolutely nothing. There’s just snow and mud and