Chapter 32

　　Louisa’s POV

　　The walk to the cottage was dreadful.

　　I had never walked to the heart of the forest before.

　　Tree branches trees were getting denser, twisting and covering sunlight and scratching the sky, like they were there at the beginning of time.

　　My old nanny used to tell me bedtime stories, saying that in the deepest part of the forest, where time has no meaning, the incredible waterfall descends endlessly over the rocks. In the distance, the songs, clicks, and whistles of birds give approval to the gentle rain.

　　But the forest where I was walking in reminded me nothing of a tranquilizing scene from a bedtime story.

　　It was completely silent and the silence was slowly eating me alive.

　　Finn was walking next to me. He must have detected my anxiety and used his nose to poke my hand.

　　"Is that normal for a forest to be this silent?" I whispered to Finn.

　　Finn shook his head. He didn't look worried, but he wasn't relaxed, either.

　　I could tell something was wrong. But wi