The beams of white light moved closer.
One…
Then three…
Then dozens.
Elara tightened her grip on the glowing crystal.
“Someone’s coming,” Noah whispered.
The Keeper didn’t The White Queen.
Its glowing eyes remained fixed on the forest.
“They’re late.”
“What do you mean?” Elara asked.
“They’ve been searching for the Heartwood for a very long time.”
The footsteps grew louder.
Branches snapped.
Voices echoed through the trees.
“I saw the light come from this direction!”
“Keep moving!”
“Don’t lose the signal!”
A few seconds later, six people stepped into the clearing.
They wore dark green jackets with a silver badge stitched onto the sleeve.
Each carried a flashlight and strange metal devices that beeped every few seconds.
The moment they saw the Heartwood, they froze.
One woman lowered her flashlight.
“So…
it’s real.”
A tall man stepped forward.
His hair was streaked with gray, and a scar ran across his left cheek.
His eyes landed on Elara.
Then on the crystal in her hand.
His expression changed.
“No…”
He whispered.
“She has it.”
Another man looked at Elara.
“Who is she?”
The older man didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he took a slow step forward.
“My name is Adrian Cross.”
“We’re not here to hurt you.”
The Keeper finally spoke.
“You’ve already done enough.”
The clearing fell silent.
Adrian looked at the masked figure.
“I had hoped never to see you again.”
Noah quietly leaned toward Elara.
“I don’t trust him.”
“Neither do I.”
Adrian noticed the crystal glowing brighter.
His face became serious.
“You need to give us that crystal.”
Elara held it closer.
“Why?”
“Because it’s dangerous.”
The Keeper let out a low laugh.
“Dangerous…”
“Or powerful?”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“You know what happened thirty years ago.”
“I do.”
“And I also know who caused it.”
The two stared at each other.
Neither looked away.
It felt like they had been enemies for a very long time.
Elara stepped between them.
“Will someone please tell me what’s happening?”
No one answered.
Instead, Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out an old photograph.
He handed it to Elara.
Her hands froze.
The picture showed a group of people standing in front of the Heartwood.
One of them was Adrian.
Another was a young woman who looked exactly like…
“Mum?”
Elara whispered.
Noah looked over her shoulder.
“That’s your mother.”
Elara shook her head.
“That’s impossible.”
“My mother has never been here.”
Adrian looked at her sadly.
“She was.”
“Twenty years ago.”
“And she made a choice that changed everything.”
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
“I wish I was.”
He pointed toward the Heartwood.
“Ask the Keeper.”
Slowly…
Everyone turned toward the masked figure.
After a long silence, the Keeper nodded once.
“He speaks the truth.”
The words hit Elara harder than she expected.
Her mother had been here.
She had stood exactly where Elara was standing now.
But why had she never told her?
Before anyone could speak again…
The crystal in Elara’s hand began to shake.
Golden light burst from inside it.
The ground rumbled.
The glowing roots around the Heartwood spread across the clearing.
One root wrapped around Adrian’s ankle.
Another surrounded Noah.
Others blocked every exit.
Then, a voice echoed from deep within the tree.
Not the Keeper’s.
Not Lily’s.
Something older.
“The liar stands among you.”
Everyone looked at each other.
No one spoke.
The voice came again.
Stronger this time.
“One heart hides the truth.”
Elara looked around the circle.
The Keeper stood silently.
Adrian avoided her eyes.
Noah looked completely confused.
Lily slowly lowered her head.
Someone was lying.
But who?
The Heartwood already knew the answer.