Chapter 1488

"Is this it?" Lucy asked. "The change?"

"I don't think it's a warning," Natalie said. "It feels… like cleansing."

Rain began to fall, soft at first, then heavier. The roots in the clearing shimmered, absorbing the moisture like veins drinking life.

Stella emerged from the trees then, soaked and wild-eyed. She moved straight to Jude and Lucy, ignoring the others. "The tree… the one from the cave. It's grown. It's massive now. The roots have reached the surface. It's coming."

"What is?" Jude asked, already knowing the answer.

Stella reached up and touched his chest, her hand over his heart. "The real beginning."

When night came, the rain didn't stop.

But neither did the call.

One by one, the wives began to hum again. First Grace, then Stella, then Susan and Scarlet. Even Emma caught herself mouthing a wordless tune before stopping with a shiver. Lucy held tight to Jude, her body trembling.