Vera hadn’t planned on returning to the forest so soon, but something deep inside urged her back. She wandered through the familiar trees, her steps heavy with the thoughts of everything that had happened. Max had been quiet ever since the meeting with Jovani and the others, and though they shared a bond, he was clearly struggling with the weight of being seen as an omen. And now, she was left trying to make sense of her parents’ legacy, her newfound magic, and the ever-growing tension in the tribe.
The deeper she walked into the forest, the more alive it seemed. The air crackled with energy, as if the land itself was reacting to her presence. Leaves rustled in unseen breezes, and the distant call of birds echoed eerily. Something about the forest felt… off.
She reached the heart of the
