Chapter 360: Threats Carved on a Skin
The eerie glow of the approaching blood moon tinted the whole place in a red hue, and horses galloped within the haunting expanse of the autumn forest, with Ivan leading his men deeper into the colorful woods.
Twisted branches casted an ominous shadow on the horses, and the rustle of leaves underfoot followed the direction of the caressing wind.
Ivan’s crimson eyes surveyed the perimeter, his senses heightened by the impending danger that lurked within the forest vicinity. He has never ventured this deep into the forest, so the aura here was new to him – intimidating, oppressive, he could feel every toxic energy that emitted from the wind itself each time he inhaled, and without a doubt, he was sure Marius would be somewhere around here.
"We stop here."
Cassian stopped his horse when they made it to a clearing, and he glanced at the tree’s symbol on the scroll. None of the trees they’ve come across so far bore resemblance to what he was seeing presently, and another reason he suspected Carmela’s hideout was because his son had uttered it himself.
Her hideout had to be this tree on the symbol.
Tobias had gotten down from his horse, his vigilant gaze matching the intensity of the atmosphere, and he surveyed the forest.
"Let’s stop here and have a look around." Ivan’s voice cut through the silence as he dismounted from Blaze. There was a strange scent in the air that didn’t miss his sense of smell. It smelled oddly familiar, not in a good way, but his mind currently couldn’t process where he’s perceived such a scent before.
"Even if you can’t feel the energy from every single tree, look closely, and see if any of the trees bear these signs you see." Cassian explained, showing the intricate symbols to the soldiers Ivan had brought with them, and they all nodded in affirmation before scattering into the wilderness.