Chapter 1121
Her pupils had dilated to black, swallowing the soft brown that used to be hers.
Sophie whispered, "That was the name. The real one."
Jude looked from her to the river. Its calm, glittering surface no longer reflected the trees. It was like staring into a pit, something black and bottomless.
Emma’s head tilted with eerie grace. "She’s awake now. She remembers her name. And she’s hungry."
Sophie gripped Jude’s arm. "We need to get her away from the river. We need to go now."
He nodded, sliding his arms beneath Emma, but the moment he tried to lift her, a searing heat burned across his chest, like something invisible had branded him. He gasped and dropped to one knee.
Emma’s fingers brushed his cheek. "Don’t run, Jude. You’re the one she’s been waiting for."
"She’s not real," Sophie hissed. "She’s not getting to him."
Emma’s lips curved in a strange, small smile. "You think she’s not real because you want to stay safe. But everything on this island is real. Especially the things you fear."
Jude stood, dragging Sophie with him. "We’re not staying here."
They backed away from Emma, slow, careful steps, like walking away from a cliff edge. Emma didn’t follow. She simply sat by the river, watching them. And smiling.