Chapter 57: An Unexpected Ally
Author: LORI D. LEE
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

We pressed on through the corrupted jungle, every step a reminder of the urgency of our mission. The landscape continued to twist and contort around us, the air thick with the shape-shifter’s malevolent influence. But with Drake by our side, our determination only grew stronger.

A familiar voice called out from the underbrush, and my heart leapt with relief. “Jack! Lena! Over here!”

We pushed through the dense foliage, emerging into a small clearing where Mara stood, alongside an unexpected figure—a woman clad in traditional islander garb, her eyes sharp and filled with a steely resolve. Mara’s face lit up with relief and determination as she saw us.

“Thank God you’re okay,” Mara said, her voice tight with emotion. “Jack, Lena, this is Naia. She’s an elder from one of the hidden tribes. She knows where the shape-shifter’s stronghold is.”

Naia stepped forward, her presence commanding despite her small stature. “The shape-shifter has brought great suffering to our land,” she said, her v
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