The rhythmic thud of the horses' hooves against the dirt road was a constant lullaby, a comforting drone against the growing unease that gnawed at me. Jem, lay nestled against my side, her breath coming in soft, even puffs. Sleep finally claimed her, exhaustion overcoming the lingering excitement of the stories I had shared all day long.
I glanced at her, a pang of affection hitting me. Jem, with her fiery red hair and mischievous grin, was currently looking up to me as the light of her life. Lately, however, that light had dimmed. My own recurring fainting spells, brought on by the unpredictable activations of Erebron, had cast a long shadow over our lives.
Erebron's unpredictable surges, leaving me weak and disoriented, had become more frequent, a constant worry gnawing at me.
Despite the growing unease, a strange calm settled over me as I watched Jem sleep. It was a fragile peace, a fleeting moment of tranquility in the face of the unknown.
