Chapter Sixty
Liam stood still, his emerald gaze locked onto the leader of the gathering—a figure cloaked in shadows, their presence pressing against him like an unspoken warning.
“Their corruption wasn’t instant,” Liam said, his voice edged with quiet fury. “It grew—over time, over choices. And now we know where it started.”
The vision shattered like glass, the forest returning in a quiet rush of air. Aldric, Payton, and Liam staggered slightly, the weight of what they had seen settling into their bones.
The whisper returned, wrapping around them with quiet approval. “You have seen,” it murmured. “Now, you must understand.”
Aldric steadied himself, his silver gaze sharp. “And we will.”
Payton exhaled, gripping her notebook tightly. “We have more work to do.”
Liam’s fingers brushed his bow, his expression hardening with determination. “And we know where to start.”
The forest remained silent, the weight of the vision settling into Aldric, Payton, and Liam as they steadied themselves. Their breaths came slow, their minds spinning with the knowledge they had just absorbed—the council’s origins, the slow descent into corruption, the choices that had led them here.
But before they could linger in their thoughts for too long, the ground before them shimmered.
The trees parted, their twisting branches shifting with quiet intent. The illusion that had clouded the forest melted away, revealing a narrow path stretching ahead—lined with ancient stones and pulsing faintly with embedded runes.
Liam exhaled sharply, adjusting his grip on his bow. “It’s inviting us in,” he murmured, his crimson gaze flickering with both curiosity and caution.
Payton stepped closer, her violet eyes scanning the runes etched into the earth. “This magic… It's old, but it’s structured. It’s guiding us.”
Aldric placed a hand against one of the stones, his silver gaze steady. “It recognizes us,” he said quietly. “We passed the first test. Now, we follow where it leads.”
With unspoken agreement, the team moved forward, their steps deliberate but unhesitant. The hum of the tether resonated more strongly around Aldric, the faint pull guiding him with quiet certainty.
Payton traced her fingers over the runes as they walked, deciphering fragments of history locked within the symbols. “We’re walking deeper into something sacred,” she murmured.
Liam kept his eyes sharp, his instincts telling him that even though they had been welcomed, caution was still necessary.
The path led them further into the heart of the forest, its secrets waiting to unfold.
The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the walls as Willa and Karen settled into their quiet roles at the cabin. The weight of leadership hung between them, unspoken but understood. They were the anchors—the ones who stayed behind to keep the foundation strong while the others ventured into the unknown.
Across the room, Tiffani sat near the window, her green gaze drifting toward the forest. She had barely spoken since the others departed, her thoughts a tangled mess of memories, fear, and uncertainty.
Allora moved with deliberate ease, her presence grounding the space as she prepared tea, an old habit that carried more purpose than simple comfort.
Karen leaned against the table, her golden eyes flickering with quiet observation. “She’s drifting again,” she murmured to Willa, nodding subtly toward Tiffani.
Willa sighed, her purple gaze softening as she watched her friend. “I know,” she admitted. “She’s holding onto too much, afraid of slipping back into something she tried so hard to escape.”
Allora placed the tea on the table, her dark eyes knowing. “She needs stability, not pressure,” she said gently. “Let her find her own pace.”
Willa nodded but knew patience wasn’t always easy when someone you cared about was struggling.
The cabin’s quiet rhythm was suddenly interrupted by a faint shift in the air—an energy neither threatening nor chaotic, but undeniable.
Karen sat up straighter, her emerald eyes narrowing. “That was something,” she murmured.
Allora exhaled slowly, her gaze flickering toward the window. “The Source stirs,” she said softly. “The others have touched something deeper.”
Willa’s fingers tightened against the edge of the table, her thoughts racing toward Aldric’s team and Mango’s team. “That means they’re making progress,” she murmured.
Karen’s smirk was faint but present. “Or trouble,” she added dryly.
Tiffani’s fingers curled against her daggers, her voice quiet but steady. “Maybe both.”
The air inside the cabin pulsed with tension, the council’s presence pressing against Tiffani’s mind with relentless force. The messenger birds outside continued their chaotic movements, their bodies shimmering with magic as they attempted to bridge the gap between her and the council.
Allora stood firm, her dark gaze focused as she sent wave after wave of protective energy into the space, shielding Tiffani from the invasive grasp that threatened to pull her thoughts away.
Karen maintained the barrier near the entrance, her golden eyes sharp as she reinforced the cabin’s defenses, ensuring that nothing—physical or magical—could breach their walls.
Willa remained at Tiffani’s side, her purple gaze unwavering. “You don’t need to fight them alone,” she said, her voice steady despite the chaos unfolding around them. “We’re here.”
Tiffani clenched her fists, her breath coming in shallow bursts as she fought against the council’s attempt to pry into her mind. The pressure was unbearable—a weight pressing against her skull, pulling at her thoughts, trying to sift through her memories.
She shut her eyes tightly, willing herself to block them out, but their presence was insidious, like fingers reaching through cracks she hadn’t even realized existed.
“I can’t—” she gasped, her voice breaking slightly.
Allora moved closer, her voice calm but commanding. “You can,” she assured her. “Their connection to you is fraying. They are desperate, unbalanced. That gives you the advantage.”
Karen shot a glance toward Willa, her golden eyes darkening. “We need to sever this now—before they get anything.”
Willa turned to Allora, her tone urgent. “Can we cut them off completely?”
Allora nodded, her fingers moving in precise motions as she worked to weave a final barrier—not just around Tiffani, but within her mind itself.
“This will sting,” Allora warned.
Tiffani barely had time to brace before the energy snapped into place. The council’s grip tore apart like frayed threads, the force of it sending a sharp jolt through her body.