Chapter 1232
"I think we will go back to the waterfall," Lucy said calmly.
Grace frowned. "Why?"
"I don’t know," Lucy admitted. "But that’s where it wants us to go. Something’s waiting there."
The group exchanged glances. A small tremor of unease passed through them. The last time they’d been near the waterfall, Rose had nearly drowned. And everything had begun shifting after that. But none of them said it aloud. Not yet.
"Alright," Jude said finally. "Let’s go."
They moved in a tight group, quieter than usual, the light breaking through the trees in scattered patterns. The journey felt different than it had before - more aware, more deliberate. As if the island watched their steps and remembered each one. The path to the waterfall opened for them easily, almost too easily, like it had been cleared ahead of time.
When they arrived, the sound of the falls was softer than usual, like it had calmed its rush just for them. Mist danced through the air, catching sunlight like tiny stars. Lucy stepped forward first, removing her wrap and stepping into the shallow stream without hesitation. The water shimmered around her ankles. Jude followed, then Sophie, Rose, and the others. Soon all thirteen stood at the base of the falls, the spray dampening their skin.
Lucy closed her eyes and lifted her arms.
The glyphs returned - rising like steam from her pores, flowing up her arms and over her chest. A soft hum began to fill the air. Not from her - but from the island itself. The water stilled. The mist swirled in spiral patterns.
And then, behind the waterfall, a crack appeared.
Not loud. Not violent. Just a soft creaking as a section of the cliff parted like a curtain, revealing a narrow passage shrouded in darkness.