Chapter 17
The Weight of the Unpaid
Elara and Kael refuse the Veilwood's ultimatum to separate or doom the realms. The Veilwood, moved by their trust, opens a new path to the heart of the fracture, warning that the trial will demand more than they have and that time runs to the new moon. They enter the tunnel as a rumbling sound rises ahead.
The Veilwood's voice settled over the clearing like a weight. "One choice left. And it will cost you everything you have not yet paid."
Elara's fingers tightened around the sphere. It remained cold, inert—a dead stone in her hands. Beside her, Kael shifted, his hand brushing hers. A small touch, but it grounded her.
"We already chose," Kael said, his voice steady despite the tremor in his shoulders. "We chose each other. We chose the green door."
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