Chapter 1611

The air thickened. Their skin flushed. A wave of heat swept through the chamber - not external, not environmental. It was arousal. From the tree. From the roots. From them. 

Their connection had stirred something deep, and now it responded with equal hunger.

Lucy touched Jude's chest. "It's asking for more."

He turned slowly, meeting each of their eyes. No words were needed. They knew what to do.

The chamber around them shifted subtly. Moss spread in thick layers around the root-womb. Vines created niches and ridges. The pulsing heart glowed brighter.

And then the circle broke.

Each woman moved to a space around the womb, creating their own rhythms, their own moments. Jude walked to them one by one, as he had in the rooms above - but now, the energy wasn't just about union. It was about offering. 

He began with Emma.