The weight of the Tear of Eternity was heavier than it should have been. Though it glowed faintly in Juliana's hand, its light seemed to pulse in time with her heartbeat, as if it were alive. She walked beside Hak through the grand corridors of the castle, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words.
Hak's hand hovered near hers, his protective instinct almost palpable. He finally broke the silence. "Are you hurt?"
Juliana shook her head. "Not physically." Her voice was soft, almost distant. "The forest... it's not just a place. It knows things. It showed me things."
Hak's jaw tightened. "What did it show you?"
She hesitated, unsure if she could put the experience into words. The memories of her past lives, Fajr's cold gaze, the echoes of betrayal—it was all too much to unpack.
