Chapter 16

VALERIA’S POV The forest was eerily silent, broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves and the distant call of an owl. My bare feet ached from stepping on uneven ground, but I couldn’t stop. I didn’t know where I was going—just that I had to keep moving. I made sure that I didn’t leave any kind of scent behind me so that no one could trace my path, though apart from rogues I hardly feared anything. The hunger gnawed at me mercilessly. My stomach growled again, loud enough to make me wince. I scanned my surroundings, hoping to find something edible. Fruits, berries, anything. But all I saw were wild plants, their jagged leaves and thorns a clear warning not to touch them. Every shadow, every whisper of movement sent my heart racing. I glanced behind me more times than I could count, convinced that rogues were still on my trail. But the forest remained empty, a labyrinth of trees and shadows. My thoughts swirled as I stumbled forward. What are my true abilities? Why haven’t I recei