Chapter 82 The Threads Of Destiny

• The forest was eerily quiet, the tension still hanging in the air like the remnants of a thunderstorm. Meher stood at the center of the clearing, her mind racing with the weight of what had just transpired. She had faced the darkness, but in doing so, she had opened a door to something far more dangerous than she could have imagined.
• Ayaan stood beside her, his expression dark but resolute. His hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sword, but it was clear he was not preparing for a fight—not yet. He was watching her closely, sensing the turmoil within her, the unease that had settled into her bones ever since the Heartstone had chosen her.
• "Meher," he said softly, his voice a gentle anchor in the chaos of her thoughts. "What is it? I can feel your mind racing. Tell me what you're thinking."