The forest was much darker than it had looked during the day. Moonlight barely reached the ground because of the thick branches above, and the strange plants growing between the trees only gave off enough light to see a few steps ahead. Aamir walked deeper into the forest without paying much attention to where he was going. He had already left the roads behind, and by now he couldn't hear anything from Edrin's house or the nearby settlement. He wanted to be alone.
His mind was still stuck on the words he had heard earlier. One thousand girls. Every year. Given to their god as an Offering. And now Erin was one of them.
