Chapter 197

ANONYMOUS POV In a cavern carved deep under poisoned hillocks, a flickering circle of candlelight revealed a gathering of robed figures. Their faces were concealed by hoods, hidden in darkness. The air pulsed with latent power—the ley lines converged here, thick with primal magic. This was the witches’ sanctum. At the center stood a woman, known to none present but whose influence echoed through whispers in distant forests. She spoke softly, venom in every syllable: Olivia was no hero, they were told. She was a dangerous force—unstable and cruel, they convinced them. Yet there was no talk of how it was she who stabbed Derek, no admission of guilt. Instead, she painted herself as the betrayed, the wronged, the inevitable martyr. She spoke of witches who’d fallen by Olivia’s hand—as if they were victims of fate—conveniently ignoring the darker truth: it was they who tried to switch Olivia’s destiny, tampering with forces far older than themselves. They had dared to play with the tapestry