Sylvia and Sofia continued their steps through the forest that now felt far safer. The branches that had previously intertwined like prison bars now willingly parted to open a path, the black leaves swaying softly as if escorting them home. The suffocating silence gradually faded, replaced by the faint sound of morning wind carrying the scent of dew and damp earth. Sunlight began to slip through gaps in the canopy for the first time since they entered the forest last night, a soft, pale golden light, like the lingering breath of the Simurgh library still clinging to their skin.
Sylvia paused for a moment at the forest's edge, glancing back. The black trees stood silent once more, but something felt different as though they were watching, not threatening. She let out a soft breath, one that no longer felt heavy.
"It's morning already," she murmured, her voice low but clear. "We spent the entire night there."
