Chapter 79: Prisoner’s Call

Zendedari slept for what felt like an eternity, driven by a need to conserve his strength. He drifted between brief moments of consciousness, feeding only when necessary, just enough to ensure his captive was alive and near. His awareness of her had sharpened over time; she was closer now, mere miles away. He could feel her presence, as though her very essence whispered through the trees and echoed in the earth. He had glimpsed her world, seen through her eyes the rundown cabin she had claimed as her own. She was working on it tirelessly, doing the things humans did to turn a place of bare shelter into something resembling a home. As time passed, he found himself stirring more frequently, testing his limits, reaching out into the wilderness to draw animals to him. Their blood was insufficient, but it sustained him, gave him the energy to continue his silent pursuit. He haunted her sleep, pulling her into restless dreams where his presence was a shadow she could not escape. His mind wa