Chapter 32: The Rift Opens

The dawn had barely settled over Overa when the final stage of the healing ritual began. The mothers and priestesses worked tirelessly, their energies entwining to restore those wounded from the chaos of the night before. The air shimmered with their magic, the sacred grounds pulsating with an otherworldly glow.

Tiya sat among them, exhausted yet restless. Her heart was heavy with the weight of betrayal—her fight with Ivy, Meme’s deception, and the community’s rejection still fresh in her mind. Yet, something deeper unsettled her. There was a darkness creeping beneath the surface of Overa, one she couldn’t quite grasp.

Kal was nearby, his wounds still healing, but his eyes never left Tiya. Every part of him wanted to reach out, to reassure her, but the distance between them now was more than just physical. He had no right to ask for her trust, not after what happened with Meme.