Chapter 1509
Jude cried out as he came again, Emma’s legs locking around him, her voice trembling in his ear. "Yes - Jude - yes - "
He collapsed against her, shaking.
But the tree was blooming again.
Rose looked up, eyes wide.
"It’s not just asking anymore," she said.
Stella’s voice was breathless. "It’s answering."
Outside, the trees shuddered. A low wind curled through the chamber, carrying the sound of something ancient waking up. The humming returned - but this time, it had depth. Voices. Layers. As if the island itself had begun to sing back.
Lucy lay against Sophie, sweat slicking their skin. "What is it doing?"
"It’s welcoming us," Rose said.
Emma kissed Jude’s cheek. "We opened something."
He held her tighter. "What did we open?"