Hosting the Light

Some wounds heal.
Others awaken.
Marina survived the darkness.
Or so she believes.
The quiet inn at the edge of the forest should have returned to normal. Instead, strange dreams grow sharper, forgotten memories refuse to stay buried, and an unseen presence follows her every step.
Then another stranger arrives.
Unlike the last, he carries light instead of shadows. Calm, disciplined, and hiding secrets of his own, he claims he wants only to protect her.
But protection comes with a price.
As the line between darkness and light begins to blur, Marina discovers that neither side is telling her the truth.
And somewhere, just beyond the walls she calls home...
Something she thought she had lost is still watching.
Waiting.