The forest surrounding Black Hollow was unnaturally still as they made their way back to the main road. Not even birds dared to sing here. Evelyn walked at the front of the group, her mind a storm of images—the moon-drenched woman, the voice whispering of choice, the blood-soaked sky.
Her chest felt tight.
“You’ve been quiet,” Ronan said beside her, his tone softer than usual. “Want to talk about what you saw?”
Evelyn glanced at him. The flickering torchlight danced off the sharp edges of his face, illuminating a concern he rarely showed. “I don’t even know how to begin explaining it,” she muttered. “It wasn’t just a vision—it was a warning.”
“And a prophecy,” Ronan added. “That’s not the kind of thing you ignore.”
She nodded slowly. “The Goddess gave me a choice. Awaken her… or seal
