Richard Rawlings (The Invicible Hero)

Chapter 64

At dawn, Richard was the first to wake. The soft light of the rising sun filtered through the trees, casting long shadows across the clearing.

His eyes darted around the campsite, quickly scanning for the others. Addams and Sophia were still asleep, their breathing slow and steady, but Medusa was nowhere to be seen.

Rubbing his eyes, Richard staggered to his feet, his body stiff from the night’s rest on the uneven ground.

A faint unease crept into his mind as he realized Medusa’s absence. She’s been strange from the start... but disappearing like this?

He was piecing his thoughts together when a voice, soft yet startling, came from behind him.

“Breakfast?”

Richard whirled around to find Medusa standing there, her lips curved into a seductive smile, a basket of freshly caught fish at her feet.

"Uhm..." he stammered, his stomach betraying him with a loud growl. "I don't think we've eaten anything since we entered this forest."

Medusa’s grin widened, her eyes sparkling with amusement.