Chapter 188 A Shocking Revelation About Claire

• ~ Elara~
• The return to the village was surreal. The sky was still cloaked in an unnatural darkness, the once-vibrant atmosphere of the packlands now suffocated by the shadows Cassandra had unleashed. Every step I took felt heavy with the weight of what I had to do, what I had to undo. Claire walked beside me, her silence an indication that there was still more left unsaid between us.
• When we reached the village, the elders were waiting. They were as stoic as ever, their lined faces betraying none of their thoughts. But I knew they were suspicious. How could they not be? They had seen “me” leave before, only to come back now with a story of being trapped in the afterlife. I braced myself, knowing I had to convince them of the truth.