Chapter 84

Mia’s Pov

The sky was a heavy gray, the clouds hanging low as if mourning with us. A cold wind swept through the trees, carrying with it the scent of pine and wet earth. It felt like the world itself had paused in sorrow, the weight of grief pressing down on everything, on everyone.

I stood at the edge of the clearing, staring at the pyre where Sylvia’s body lay. Dressed in her finest robes, she looked peaceful, her hands folded over her chest, as if she were simply resting. But I knew better. There was no rest in death, not for someone like her. She had given everything for us, for me. And now, she was gone.