Ethan and Marie worked efficiently, guiding the shaken hikers back toward their vehicles. The group moved in tense silence, their earlier terror still hanging over them like a shadow.
Ethan offered the occasional reassuring word, but his thoughts were elsewhere. His eyes kept darting to the surrounding forest, his body on edge, half-expecting the demons to return.
When they finally reached the clearing where the hikers' cars were parked, Ethan turned to Marie, lowering his voice so the others wouldn't overhear. "What if the demons come after them again? Somewhere along the way?"
Marie shook her head with a small smile, the kind that hinted at the knowledge she wasn't quite ready to share. "That's not for you to worry about. Elias's sense covers this whole region perfectly. If there's even a flicker of danger, he'll know—and he'll deal with it."
