Chapter Eleven : Shadows of Betrayal

After a long day filled with tension and unanswered questions, I found myself tossing and turning in bed, unable to quiet my racing thoughts. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw flashes of the ceremony, the transformed trees, and the overwhelming pressure of the prophecy that hung over me. Exhaustion tugged at me, but my mind refused to rest.

Just as I was about to doze off, I felt a strange presence beside my bed. My eyes snapped open, and there it was—a dark figure standing silently, shrouded in shadow. My heart leaped into my throat. I sat up quickly, but when I blinked, it was gone.

"Am I seeing things?" I whispered to myself, trying to convince my frantic mind that it was just exhaustion playing tricks on me.