Chapter 86 My Son

• Henry****
• The clearing seemed to shrink around us, the towering trees closing in as if the forest itself held its breath. My legs trembled, not just from exhaustion but from the overwhelming weight of what had just happened. The power I unleashed moments ago—raw, ancient, and wild—had surged through me like a tidal wave, and now it was gone, leaving me hollow and unsteady. My chest heaved as I struggled to catch my breath, Xavier’s hand gripping mine tightly, grounding me.
• But then Diego’s voice, low and resonant, shattered the fragile silence. “You are my son.”