He reached the shelter, unlocked the heavy hatch, and hurried inside. The air smelled of dust and old wood. Rowan placed the objects in a metal box and slid them beneath loose floorboards. Moments later, bright headlights swept slowly across the surrounding trees, freezing him in place.
Rowan crouched low as a car idled outside, engine humming. After a tense minute, it moved on, its taillights fading into darkness. Was it just a coincidence or someone pursuing him? He couldn’t tell. Either way, the tension curled tighter around him, coiling like a rope drawn steadily taut. He realized it was better to keep the key and medallion on him.