The night air was sharp and cold against Lily’s skin as she slipped through the trees.
She moved quietly, her bare feet barely making a sound over the damp earth. The forest was thick, but the darkness didn’t bother her. She could see well enough.
Just a little farther, she told herself. You can do this.
When she reached the clearing, she paused and looked down.
The old stone vault sat half-sunken into the earth.
Lily glanced around once—twice. No one.
Only the hum of the woods, the buzz of insects, and the distant hoot of an owl.
She crouched down and gently pressed her hand against the seal of the vault trapdoor. It unlocked with a satisfying click. Lily pulled the door open.
Inside, the air was cooler, heavy with the scent of old paper, stone, and dust.
