Chapter 53: Hostile Welcome
The valley had a strange energy about it—a mixture of beauty and quiet menace. Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows over the camp's crude yet efficient structures. Scattered tents, some patched with fabric scraps, stood in loose rows around a central fire pit where smoke curled into the sky. People moved with purpose, their faces hard and wary, as if this fragile peace could shatter at any moment.
Alex felt every one of their eyes on her as she stood before Calista, the undisputed leader of this hidden enclave. The woman's presence was a force of its own, commanding an almost painful silence. Tall and severe, with a gaze as icy as a winter storm, Calista held herself with the rigid posture of someone who'd seen hell and clawed her way out. Her gaze lingered on Alex, evaluating her, as if probing for a weakness she could exploit.
