Chapter 1247
Rose’s eyes locked on the woods. "It let us see it."
"Why?" Layla asked.
Sophie turned pale. "Because it’s ready."
No one spoke for a long time. The fire had died completely, leaving behind only the acrid scent of smoke and burnt leaves. Jude stood with his arms still around Emma, feeling her tremble against his chest as if her bones were vibrating from something she couldn’t fully explain. Around them, the others stared at the spot where the creature had stood. The memory of it clung to the air like ash - thin, inescapable, choking.
"It was smiling," Lucy whispered, her voice dry and brittle.
"It didn’t have a mouth," Stella said, barely audible.
"No," Rose murmured. "But it was smiling."
Sophie rubbed her arms as though suddenly freezing. "It showed itself on purpose. It wanted us to know it’s not hiding anymore."
Emma pulled back just enough to meet Jude’s eyes. "It didn’t want to hurt me. Not yet. It wanted to show me what it was. What it will become. That was... a message."
Jude’s jaw clenched. "Then we send a message back."
"Like what?" Grace asked. "How do you send a message to something like that?"