Morgan paced back and forth, struggling to understand why his father was against him.

  "Morgan," his father called, his voice heavy with warning. "Don’t you know the consequences of—"

  "The consequences be damned, Father!" Morgan shouted, his voice raw with fury. "You're siding with them after they killed the ones we hold dear?"

  "It is to protect—"

  Morgan stepped closer, his body trembling with barely contained rage. "Lindell, Ashrin, Jason, the old man at the store..." He took another step, closing the distance between them. "How much more will we allow to slip away before you realize it's time to make them leave?" His hand gripped his father’s shoulder tightly.

  "Man cannot fight nature," his father said, his tone almost pleading.

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  "They are not nature," Morgan growled, his fingers digging in.

  "They are the gods' hands of nature," his father corrected. "They cannot be killed. They are all-powerful. They can only be pleaded with."

  A sharp pang of devastation struck Morgan’s chest. He didn’t know how to make his father understand. Truth be told, he didn’t fully understand himself.

  A loud commotion tore through the village.

  His father’s face darkened. "Morgan. Go. Now."

  ---

  Morgan ran. [They had made a move now the whole island was at their mercy]

  The forest near the river was thick with branches and tangled roots, but he tore through them, his breath coming fast and hard. Behind him, the royal guards were in pursuit, riding their Mavens—six-legged shadow beasts with an unmatched sense of smell.

  The creatures were fast. Too fast.

  Morgan could hear their heavy footfalls gaining on him. One of them lunged. He twisted, barely dodging the swipe of its claws—

  Pain. A burning slash across his back. An arrow.

  He was losing the chase. His fate was closing in. But if he was to die, it would be on his own terms.

  He changed course, sprinting toward the river with every ounce of strength he had left.

  Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!

  The Mavens were right behind him, barking, their fangs bared—ready to tear into him.

  But they were too late.

  Morgan leaped.

  The last thing he heard before he hit the water was the creatures skidding to a halt at the river’s edge.

  Splash.