Maria.
I used my hands to part the bushes in front of me, pushing the rough branches aside as carefully as I could before taking another cautious step forward. Twigs snapped under my boots, leaves brushed against my arms, and the earthy scent of the forest filled my lungs. Behind me, I could hear Vincent's steady footsteps, close enough to reassure me but far enough not to crowd me.
I had tried.
I had tried so hard to convince him to stay behind.
Argued.
Insisted.
Warned him.
But it had all been to no avail.
He was stubborn, far more stubborn than I had given him credit for, and once he set his mind on something, there was no shifting it. He was hell-bent on accompanying me, and in the end, I had no choice but to let him.
We had been walking for hours now.
