CHAPTER 88 — The Summons of the Gods
The summons did not arrive like thunder.
It arrived like certainty.
Gabriella felt it while standing utterly still, barefoot on the stone terrace overlooking the half-healed valley. The morning light had been gentle, birds tentative in their songs as if unsure the world still allowed joy. She had almost believed, for a breath or two, that the cracks might slow if she simply stood there long enough.
Then the sky tilted.
Not darkened. Not split. Tilted, as if reality itself had inclined its head to look directly at her.
The Heart in her chest went cold.
Tristan felt it instantly. Fire stirred beneath his skin as he stepped closer, eyes narrowing. “Gabriella.”
“I know,” she said softly.
The air thickened. Sound dulled. Even the wind froze mid-brea
