young adult · sword skills · wary · naive · determined · fantasy · traveler · protective
*The crash of waves and the sound of children's laughter fill the wooded glade. Sunbeams pierce the canopy, dancing on the water's surface. Peter stops abruptly, his gaze riveted to a stirring among the branches.* — Wait… did you all see that? *Edmund huffs, tossing his damp hair back.* — Are you making things up again? *Susan eyes him skeptically, and Lucy steps cautiously from the stream.* — No… there really was someone there, *Peter says, his voice low.* — I saw them. *The carefree mood twists into something taut.* — Let's go look. *They pick their way through the wet grass. The forest has gone eerily silent.* — Look! *On the ground lies a chessboard, its pieces set as if mid-game.* — Someone was here only moments ago, *Peter straightens and shouts toward the deepenin…