Steve's heart pounded in his chest as Fiona's eyes widened in fear, flickering from side to side as she scanned the shadows.
The forest air was thick with the low, guttural bellows echoing from every direction. They were certain of it now—surrounded. Her gaze snapped back to Steve, searching his face for guidance, for reassurance.
Even Steve, composed as he usually was, couldn't mask the tension in his features. His eyes, sharp and alert, shifted from left to right, trying to pierce through the darkness.
The bellows grew louder, more numerous. He bit down on his bottom lip, thoughts racing.
'How many goblins could have gotten this deep into the woods by nightfall?' he thought, jaw tightening.
'Damn it. There might be too many for me to control all at once. This could be bad. Real bad.'
But even then, he reminded himself—
