Lucas moved to the center of the space and sat down slowly, folding his legs beneath him. The lantern light cast long shadows across his face, the outline of the scars still visible beneath the dim glow.
One after the other, Henrietta, Lira, Nyx, and Selene took their places around him.
They formed a circle.
Close enough that their presence could be felt, not just physically, but through something far deeper.
For a brief moment, no one spoke.
There was no need.
They had done this before.
They all remembered that night.
Selene was the first to close her eyes.
"I'll initiate the connection," she said softly.
Lucas nodded once.
"Do it."
A faint shift in the air followed.
It started subtly, like a ripple passing through still water.
Then it deepened.
