The vision flickers.

For a moment – just a moment – the cheering faces have no features. Smooth flesh where eyes should be. The sound of celebration warps, words running backward, syllables stretching into something that isn’t language at all.

Seraphine’s voice echoes strangely: “Four minds. Four pillars. One…”

The gem’s light stutters like a dying heartbeat.

Then everything snaps back to normal. The faces return. The celebration continues. Aldric is laughing. Thornwen is smiling.

But her eyes. Seraphine’s eyes haven’t changed. She’s still watching you.

And she looks afraid.