CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
The air is thick with tension, the scent of pine and earth mingling with the undercurrent of anxiety that knits itself into my bones. I stand before Kade and the elders, a small figure dwarfed by the towering presence of ancient trees and the weight of their scrutinizing gazes. My heart thuds against my ribcage, a frantic drumbeat in the silence that stretches like a vast chasm before me.
"Grace," Kade begins, his voice resonating through the clearing, "after much deliberation, we have reached a decision."
I dare not meet anyone's eyes, focusing instead on the intricate patterns of bark on the tree behind him. The anticipation is a living thing, curling around me, tightening until I can hardly breathe.
"Despite... certain limitations," he continues, and I don't nee
