Just breathing and the distant wind moving through trees far below. That was when Ethan heard it. A sound that didn’t belong. At first, he thought it was the wind shifting against the cliff—until it happened again. A low, hollow thud, followed by a long creak, like old wood bending under weight. He froze mid-move, fingers locked into the limestone.
“Nora,” he said quietly, careful not to shift. “Did you hear that?” She stopped too. Her head tilted, ear angled toward the rock. For a few seconds, there was nothing but the wind again. Then it came back. Deeper this time. A dull wooden knock, followed by a slow groan that made Ethan’s stomach tighten. It sounded unsettlingly like a door settling into a frame.