บท 146: The Manifestation I

Lyla

I was in the middle of a clearing. The moon was shining brightly… so bright that if I reached out for it, I would touch it.

The stars shone with such bright intensity that I'd never seen before, pulsing with the rhythm of my heartbeat… the forest was quiet except for the quiet chirp of crickets in the distance.

"Lyla..."

A voice called out to me, filling the space with warmth. For the first time since my second cleansing, I felt at ease. As if a voice calling my name in the middle of nowhere was the most natural thing I'd ever seen—like I'd been waiting for my whole life without realizing it. Slowly, I turned towards the source of the voice.

But I saw Mother Liora pouring water over my head in a ceremonial gesture. Beside her, Nanny clasped my hands so tightly that I could see her veins popping out from under her skin and she had a serene aura around her.

But something was not right.

Something didn't feel right for a moment.