Chapter 84

• The sun shone brightly over the neighborhood park, casting long shadows across the playground. The sound of laughter and chatter filled the air as children ran around, their parents sitting on benches or chatting in small groups nearby. Ivy and Ethan were at the edge of the playground, engrossed in their own world. Ivy was showing Ethan how to skip rocks across a small pond while keeping an eye on their younger siblings, who were playing on the swings.
• Nearby, two strangers lingered by the picnic tables. They looked out of place—dressed too casually, with an air of unease about them. At first, they blended into the park’s busy atmosphere, but their furtive glances and hushed conversations became more noticeable as time passed.
• “Ethan, try this,” Ivy said, handing her younger brother a flat stone. “You have to flick your wrist like this.”