30. Athena
The scent of damp earth filled my nose as I crouched low behind the thick trunk of an oak tree, trying to make sense of why I was in this forest. My heart thudded in my chest, as though it already sensed the danger before my mind could. The wind rustled softly through the branches, carrying with it the sound of a small, trembling voice.
I tried listening keenly for any other sign of life but I wasn't picking anything. But then…
"Mama, where are you going? Why are you crying?"
My muscles tightened, pulling my body closer to the tree as I strained to listen. The voice belonged to a little girl. Who was she talking to? I shifted, pressing my cheek against the rough bark and peered around the tree.
The forest was bathed in the soft glow of early morning light, but something wa
