Would you chase after someone you loved into an unlawful forbidden forest? Elizabeth Penton has always been cautious—careful not to disobey any rules or throw herself in harm’s way, unlike her exuberant older sister, Alice. For centuries, the people of Brimsbrook have lived in fear of the haunting Hales Forest. Every so often, someone in the village goes missing—only to be found days later, their bodies mangled beyond recognition. Rumors of demons and black magic keep the fear alive. Even the Governors of old forbade entry after sunset. But when Alice disappears, Elizabeth ignores every warning and rushes into the depths of the forest, desperate to bring her sister home, accompanied by the Governor’s nephew Oscar and her friend Noen. What they find under the forest’s decaying canopy is nothing like they imagined—twisted people, strange rituals, and a darkness that feeds on more than just fear. As Elizabeth uncovers secrets buried deep in the forest’s heart, she must decide: will she fight to protect the innocent, or surrender to a force far older and more terrifying than she ever imagined