The forest was eerily quiet as Maya leaned against the rough bark of a tree, her breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps. The adrenaline from their narrow escape was wearing off, replaced by a throbbing ache in her legs and the gnawing realization that they were far from safe.
Elliot crouched beside her, his face pale and drawn. He was holding his side, and Maya’s stomach twisted as she noticed the faint smear of blood on his jacket.
“You’re hurt,” she said, kneeling beside him.
“It’s nothing,” Elliot muttered, wincing as he shifted his weight. “Probably just a scratch.”
“Let me see,” Maya said firmly.
Elliot groaned but didn’t resist as she pulled his jacket aside. There was a shallow cut along his ribs, likely from a branch or a jagged rock during their frantic run through the woods.
“It’s not deep,” Maya said, relieved. “But it needs to be cleaned.”
Elliot raised an eyebrow. “And I’m guessing you didn’t pack a first aid kit?”
Maya shot him a look. “You’re the one who carries lock-picking tools and knives. Why don’t you have one?”
Elliot smirked faintly. “Touché.”
Maya rummaged through her bag, pulling out a water bottle and a clean handkerchief. She poured water over the cloth and pressed it gently against the cut. Elliot hissed through his teeth but didn’t pull away.
“You should’ve let me leave the ledger,” Maya said quietly, her voice tinged with guilt.
Elliot shook his head. “No way. That thing is the only reason we have a chance of stopping them. It’s worth the risk.”
Maya’s hands stilled for a moment, the weight of his words settling over her. She nodded, finishing her work and tying the handkerchief around his torso as a makeshift bandage.
“There,” she said, sitting back. “That should hold for now.”
“Thanks, Doc,” Elliot said, flashing her a tired grin.
Maya rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling faintly.
As the morning sun began to rise, the faint orange light filtering through the trees, Maya and Elliot forced themselves to move. The forest was dense, and they stuck to the shadows, taking a winding path to make themselves harder to follow.
They didn’t speak much, their minds focused on the weight of the ledger and the constant fear of being hunted.
After what felt like hours, they stumbled upon a small, run-down cabin nestled in a clearing. It looked abandoned, the wood warped and faded, the roof sagging in places.
“It’s not much,” Elliot said, his voice low. “But it’s better than nothing.”
Maya hesitated, scanning the area. The cabin didn’t look like it had been used in years, but that didn’t mean it was safe.
“We don’t have a choice,” Elliot added. “We need to stop and regroup, at least for a little while.”
Maya nodded reluctantly. “Okay. Let’s check it out.”
The inside of the cabin was just as dilapidated as the outside. Cobwebs hung in the corners, and the air was thick with the scent of damp wood and decay. A rickety table stood in the center of the room, surrounded by mismatched chairs.
Maya set her bag on the table and pulled out the ledger. The sight of it still made her heart race—so small, yet so powerful.
Elliot collapsed into one of the chairs, wincing as he adjusted his bandage. “So, what now?”
“We need to go through this,” Maya said, opening the ledger. “There has to be something in here we can use. Names, locations, anything that ties the Society to people outside Blackthorn.”
Elliot frowned. “Even if we find something, how do we get it out there? The Society’s reach is everywhere. If we go to the wrong person, we’re done.”
Maya flipped through the pages, her eyes scanning the handwritten entries. “We’ll figure that out once we know what we have.”
For the next several hours, they poured over the ledger. The pages were filled with names, dates, and cryptic notes, some of which were decades old. Maya recognized several of the names—faculty members, board members, and even a few prominent alumni who had gone on to become politicians and CEOs.
“They’re everywhere,” Elliot said, his voice tinged with disbelief. “This isn’t just about Blackthorn. They’ve got their hands in everything.”
Maya nodded, her stomach churning. “But look at this.” She pointed to a section of the ledger marked with the symbol of the lantern. “These entries are different. They’re all connected to something called ‘The Unveiling.’”
Elliot leaned closer, his brow furrowing. “The Unveiling? What is that?”
“I don’t know,” Maya admitted. “But it’s mentioned over and over again, always tied to major events—elections, business mergers, even scandals.”
“It sounds like some kind of operation,” Elliot said. “Something big.”
Maya’s pulse quickened. “If we can figure out what it is, we might be able to stop it—and expose them in the process.”
A sudden noise outside the cabin made them both freeze.
Maya’s head snapped toward the window, her heart racing. The faint crunch of footsteps on dry leaves echoed through the still air.
“They found us,” Elliot whispered, his voice tense.
Maya grabbed the ledger and stuffed it back into her bag. “We have to move.”
Elliot stood, his face pale but determined. “Through the back,” he said, pointing to a small door at the rear of the cabin.
They slipped out quietly, the cool air biting at their skin. The forest was silent, but Maya could feel the weight of unseen eyes watching them.
“We need to split up,” Elliot said suddenly.
“What?” Maya hissed, her voice sharp.
“It’s the only way,” Elliot said. “If they catch both of us, it’s over. But if we split up, we have a chance. You take the ledger and keep going. I’ll draw them away.”
“No,” Maya said firmly. “I’m not leaving you behind.”
“You have to,” Elliot said, his voice urgent. “This is bigger than me, Maya. Bigger than both of us. You’re the one who can stop them.”
Maya hesitated, her mind racing. She hated the idea of leaving him, but deep down, she knew he was right.
“Promise me you’ll find a way out,” she said, her voice trembling.
“I will,” Elliot said, his expression softening. “Now go.”
Maya nodded, tears stinging her eyes as she turned and ran.
The forest seemed endless as Maya sprinted through the trees, her bag slung tightly over her shoulder. The sound of footsteps and shouts echoed in the distance, but she didn’t look back.
She didn’t know how long she ran or how far she went. All she knew was that she had to keep moving.
Finally, she stumbled into another clearing, her legs shaking and her lungs burning. She collapsed onto the ground, clutching the bag to her chest as she tried to catch her breath.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then, a voice broke through the stillness.
“Well, well. What do we have here?”
Maya’s blood ran cold as she looked up. A figure stepped out of the shadows, their face obscured by the now-familiar mask of the Whisper Society.
They weren’t done with her yet.