Chapter 1531

Night came slowly and dreamlike. The group returned to the treehouse not because they had to, but because the wind nudged them gently that way. Their limbs moved lazily, heavy with pleasure and transformation.

They curled together on mats and soft blankets, tangled as one.

Jude couldn't tell where one body ended and another began.

And that night, he dreamed again.

Of twelve glowing women standing around the golden tree, their arms outstretched, their lips curved in peace. They sang - not the song of the island, but one they had made themselves. New. Beautiful. Undeniable.

When he woke, all twelve were watching him.

Smiling.

And Lucy whispered, "It's time you saw what's beneath it."

He nodded.