The orchard rose ahead—gnarled trees bent under time and weather, bordered by a cracked stone wall. Samantha climbed over without slowing down. Alex followed her, flashlights cutting through the twisted rows. Her heart pounded, louder than the crunch of grass beneath her boots. Something was pulling her forward.
Near the second tree row, she spotted something pale. Her stomach flipped. Rushing forward, she dropped to her knees. Her fingers touched the edge of a huge feather—broad, beautiful, and unmistakably an eagle feather. She stared at it, barely breathing. Then she waved Alex over, a spark reigniting in her chest.