Chapter 1194

Jude rose slowly, his fingers still wet with the water from the spiral's groove. Sophie rose with him, her hand never leaving his. She was determined to stand with him. Rose lingered a moment longer, brushing her palm across the surface, as if she could gather its glow into her skin. When she finally stood, her eyes found Jude's, and the unspoken understanding passed between them: this was only the beginning.

Around them, the others straightened, their faces touched by wonder and a quiet resolve. Zoey let out a slow breath, a grin playing at her lips despite the weight of the moment. "Well," she said, voice soft but bright, "I guess we follow the spiral now, wherever it leads."