### 1. PROSE EVIDENCE

*   **Quote (Early):** "It was a vibration in the marrow of her bones, a silver thread of sound that tasted of ozone and ancient cedar."
    *   *Commentary:* This effectively uses synesthesia to establish the "Echoes" as a sensory experience rather than just an auditory one, grounding the magic system for the reader.
*   **Quote (Mid):** "Vines, blackened and slick with a foul-smelling ichor, twisted around one another, forming the crude shape of a quadruped."
    *   *Commentary:* The description provides a clear, visceral image of the threat while maintaining the forest's themes of organic corruption.
*   **Quote (Late):** "The sun's coming, and the shadows won't stay in the glade for long."
    *   *Commentary:* This line efficiently raises the stakes and establishes a "ticking clock" element rooted in the world's internal logic of light versus shadow.

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### 2. CHARACTER VOICE AUDIT

**Character: Elara**
*   **Line:** "Yeah, because ignoring creepy ghost voices has worked so well for me before."
*   **Signature Vocabulary/Tics:** YES (Uses dry sarcasm/deflectiveness common in YA protagonists).
*   **Avoid Forbidden Patterns:** YES (No archaic or overly formal speech).
*   **Consistent Emotional Register:** YES (30% arc position: She is beginning to acknowledge the magic but is still masking fear with humor).

**Character: Kai (Note: Identified as Silas in Chapter 3 Metadata)**
*   **Line:** "It's like ringing a dinner bell for every shadow-limb within ten miles."
*   **Signature Vocabulary/Tics:** YES (Uses survivalist/hunting metaphors like "dinner bell" and "tracking").
*   **Avoid Forbidden Patterns:** YES (Brief, utilitarian sentences).
*   **Consistent Emotional Register:** YES (25% arc position: Guarded, skeptical of Elara's safety but knowledgeable about the threat).

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### 3. STRENGTHS TO PRESERVE

*   **Sensory Magic System:** The way the "Echoes" are described as "Faint, translucent ripples in the air, like heat shimmering off a road" (Early) creates a unique visual identity for the magic that distinguishes it from standard "ghost" stories.
*   **Dynamic Pacing:** The transition from the wonder of the glade ("cathedral of light") to the immediate threat of the vine-creatures ("A low growl tore her from her thoughts") keeps the YA audience engaged with high stakes.
*   **The Hook:** The final lines where the Echo mimics her parents' voices ("It was her mother’s voice, but layered with the gravelly rasp of her father") effectively personalizes the conflict and moves Elara from a witness to the center of the mystery.

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### 4. MUST-FIX -- CONTINUITY

*   **ORIGINAL:** "It was Kai. The village outcast... He was seventeen... Kai didn't smile."
*   **PROBLEM:** The Project Context/RAG database identifies the guide/protector character as **Silas**, not Kai. Silas is described as being in the "Whispering Grove" and holding "guarded" emotions, matching this character's actions, but the name is incorrect.
*   **FIX:** Replace all instances of "Kai" with "Silas" to maintain continuity with the Chapter 3 character state and world state.

*   **ORIGINAL:** "Project Context: ...Active obligations: owes Silas answers regarding the map (ch-03) -- UNPAID"
*   **PROBLEM:** In the provided text (Ch-02), Elara uses an **amulet** to repel the shadows. However, the Project Context for Ch-03 repeatedly references a **map** that Silas wants answers about and that reacts to Elara's blood. The map is never mentioned in this chapter, creates a disconnect for the Ch-03 opening.
*   **FIX:** Add a brief mention of the map in Elara's possession. *Correction:* "She pushed through the brambles, the heavy parchment of the map tucked firmly into her waistband, its corners biting into her hip."

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### 5. MUST-FIX -- CLARITY

*   **ORIGINAL:** "The blue light of the rune-trees was dimming, occluded by a tattered, shadowy film that seemed to be weeping from the leaves."
*   **PROBLEM:** "Occluded" is a slightly high-register word that contrasts with the fast-paced action, and the physical source of the "shadowy film" (is it liquid? smoke? spirit?) is a bit vague before the monsters appear.
*   **FIX:** "The blue light of the rune-trees was dimming, choked by a tattered, oily shadow that seeped from the leaves like black tears."

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### 6. OPTIONAL SUGGESTIONS

*   **OPTIONAL:** Regarding the line "She had a skinning knife and her wits" (Mid). To better align with the 14-18 YA target audience, Elara could attempt to use the knife once before the amulet magic, emphasizing her physical vulnerability before the "supernatural" solution occurs.
*   **OPTIONAL:** Quote: "I... I've been watching this glade for weeks." (Late). Silas/Kai stutters here. Given the character profile describes him as "Guarded and skeptical," the stutter might make him seem too hesitant. Removing the "I..." would make him feel more like the "high-alert" protector described in the RAG.

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### 7. FORBIDDEN CHANGES / NON-GOALS

*   **Do Not Change:** Elara's internal monologue/sarcasm (e.g., "Great. Just great."). This is a staple of the YA genre and fits her 30% arc of being a reluctant conduit.
*   **Do Not Change:** The "imperfect" repetition of "rot" and "shadows." These are thematic keywords established for the Shadow Stalker/Blackwood mercenary factions.
*   **Do Not Change:** The use of "Whoa" or "Yeah" in dialogue. These are intentional markers of her age and modern-leaning voice within the fantasy setting.

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### 8. VERDICT

**SCORE: 78**
**JUSTIFICATION:** The chapter is atmospheric and well-paced, but there is a major naming inconsistency between the text (Kai) and the project database (Silas), and a narrative gap concerning "the map," which is central to the Ch-03 context but absent here.

**VERDICT: REVISE**