He realized it then - this was what Alara meant. It wasn't about hierarchy. It wasn't even about leadership. It was intimacy without boundaries. Love without limits. A garden with twelve roots and one shared sun.
The forest called again that afternoon. The same pulse from the heartstone echoed faintly, but from another direction. North. A path none of them had noticed before curved like a question mark through the woods. Thick vines parted as they approached, revealing moss-carpeted ground that glowed faintly beneath their feet.
"Another invitation?" Sophie asked, arms crossed.
Rose didn't wait for confirmation. She started walking. Jude followed.
They walked in silence for a long time, not because they were afraid, but because they were listening. The air was different here. Heavy with anticipation. The trees didn't move to let them pass - they guided. Branches shifted. Leaves turned toward them.
It took an hour before the forest opened again.
