Chapter 1198
For a long moment, they stood there, together, at the heart of the spiral’s path, the platform theirs, the moment theirs, the bond between them stronger than ever.
And then Jude spoke, voice low but certain. "We move on."
The mist thinned gradually, revealing more of the stone beneath their feet, more of the path ahead. The platform no longer felt like a stage for some ancient ritual but like a quiet resting place after a storm. The spiral’s hum had faded into a whisper, as though the island itself exhaled with them, acknowledging what had passed, what had been faced and accepted.
Jude stood still for a breath, then two, his eyes fixed on where the creature had vanished. The mist still clung to the edges of the spire, but beyond it, the horizon stretched wide, the first hints of dusk painting the sky in streaks of rose and gold. The river below caught the light, turning silver, a winding mirror of the spiral that had led them here.
Sophie’s hand slipped down his arm, fingers curling with his, her touch steady and warm. "You were right," she whispered. "We weren’t meant to fight it. Only to face it. Together."
Rose stepped forward, brushing wind-blown hair from her face, her eyes still sharp with the thrill of what they’d endured. "I wanted to challenge it," she admitted, a grin tugging at her lips. "But this felt right. Like it was a test of trust. And we passed."
Zoey exhaled loudly, shaking her head, though her grin was quick and bright. "Passed? Barely. I thought my heart was going to leap right out of my chest. But hell-what’s next? A dragon made of mist?"
Scarlet laughed, soft but true, pressing close to Zoey’s side. "If there is, at least I’ll have you to hide behind."
Lucy stepped to the edge of the platform, her sharp gaze sweeping the landscape as if daring anything else to appear. But the world below was calm now, the wind soft, the river steady. She sheathed her blade again, though her posture stayed ready, protective.
Natalie and Stella moved hand in hand to the altar, peering into the bowl. The water was still, clear, reflecting the deepening sky above. "It’s quiet now," Natalie said, voice hushed with wonder. "Like it’s sleeping."