Chapter 78 0078

• With Niyla’s words still nestled in my heart, I made my way back toward the clearing where everything had spiraled into chaos. I felt her presence lingering just behind me, and for a moment, the tension that had once consumed us faded, replaced by something warmer.
• Stepping into the clearing once more, I saw that the elders had moved farther back, their conversation low as if they had not just threatened our very existence. Moments before, I’d felt emboldened by Niyla’s support, but now anxiety clawed its way back through me as I faced the realities we had to confront.
• As I felt the pressure ramping up inside me, I took a deep breath, bracing for the confrontation and facing the stony expressions of the council of elders. “What’s going on?” I demanded as I stepped back into the circle.