e glowing orb cradled in her lap. Its faint blue light cast flickering shadows across the small space, illuminating Harrow's furrowed brow as he pored over h

that's where you'll need to use it." Clara hesitated, the weight of the task pressing down on her. Harrow's Hill was a steep climb, and with the river flooding the village and the creatures hunting them, the journey would be dangerous. But the growls above were growing louder, and she knew they had no choice. "Let's go," she said, her voice steadier than she felt. Harrow led the way to a small trapdoor at the back of the cellar, its rusted hinges creaking as he forced it open. A narrow tunnel stretched into the darkness, its walls slick with moisture. "This leads to the edge of the village," Harrow explained. "It's an old escape route from the last fracture. Should get us out without them seeing." They crawled through the tunnel, the orb's faint glow lighting their way. The air was stale, and the sound of dripping water echoed around them, but the growls of the creatures faded as they moved farther from the mill. Clara's knees ached against the rough stone, but she kept going, the orb's warmth urging her forward. The whispers started again, soft and insistent, and she strained to understand them. This time, she caught a single word: *Courage.* When they emerged from the tunnel, they were at the northern edge of Eldermoor, near the base of Harrow's Hill. The village below was a scene of chaos-floodwaters had swallowed half the streets, and the shadowy creatures roamed through the wreckage, their glowing eyes scanning for the orb. Clara's heart clenched as she saw the bakery where Mrs. Tully had stood earlier, now half-submerged, its sign floating in the murky water. "We need to hurry," Harrow said, his cane sinking into the muddy ground as he started up the hill. Clara followed, her boots slipping on the wet grass, the orb tucked safely inside her coat. The climb was grueling, the wind whipping at them as they ascended, but the higher they went, the more the whispers from the orb seemed to guide her, their tone almost urgent now. Halfway up the hill, Clara stopped to catch her breath, glancing back at the village. The creatures had spotted them-three of them were moving up the hill, their watery forms