Chapter 97 - Secrets in Stone

The chain embedded in Selena's palm pulsed once—hot, silent, certain. The sensation was brief, but in that instant, it felt eternal. Then, as swiftly as it had come, the glow receded. The strange, golden light vanished into her skin, as if it had never existed. But the residue of its touch remained beneath her flesh—a subtle resonance, like the aftershock of a deep, ancient bell that had rung only once yet echoed through the very fabric of her being. She flexed her fingers instinctively, the warmth lingering like a promise or a memory too strong to fade.