Prologue
10 years ago…
Griffin’s heart swelled with admiration when his father swung the heavy axe as if it weighed nothing. Two halves of what was once a miniature log fell off the chopping block. Grom smiled at his son, flashing his yellowed teeth. He then bent down and set the two halves into the already neat pile of cut wood and placed another log on the block. He lifted the axe once more and focused his gaze on the middle of the wood. Before he could swing, however, from the corner of his eye, he saw a form running through the woods.
He swiveled to see what it was but only caught one last glance of a green robe swishing through the trees.
“Stay here, Griffin,” Grom said as he planted the axe in the block and grabbed his rifle. Three bounds took him into the trees and near a strange imprint. He bent low and felt the dirt with his fingers. The impression was not deep. It must have been a light creature. The track looked similar to that of a woman’s. Why would a woman run through the forest without shoes? His eyes rose to the trees in the direction the being had run.
A small movement caught his attention. A hand brushed the side of a trunk. It was small and delicate. Grom knew then that this was a woman. His knees cracked as he stood and moved towards the fleeting figure. Soon, he could hear light breathing. He was closing in on his quarry. His footsteps slowed and he controlled his breath. The forest stilled. Breath came in pieces. His heart raced. His surroundings became clear, his hearing caught the sound of an insect making its way along the ground. He could smell the scent of that which he chased and could feel her warmth.
Carefully, he peaked around the trunk. The breath in his throat turned cold.
