Chapter 1061

They had found Rose.

But something had found them first.

And it wasn't done.

As they walked, quiet fell over them like a blanket, broken only by the sound of dripping water and the hush of leaves. Jude kept one hand on Rose's shoulder, his mind racing.

The forest whispered around them, its silence thick with questions none of them could answer. The sky above was dimming, but no one dared suggest they wait until morning. Jude walked with Rose cradled gently in his arms, her body swaying with every careful step he took. The others circled close, throwing glances behind them, watching the trees, the shadows, the spaces where the water had held something they couldn't name. No one spoke of it now, not openly. But the fear clung to them like damp clothes, heavy and undeniable.

Susan moved beside Jude, brushing Rose's soaked hair away from her cheek. "She's burning up," she whispered. "And still not saying anything."