A gentle ripple passed through the pond. The lilies swayed, though no wind touched them. For a moment, the entire garden shimmered faintly, as if acknowledging Eleanor's presence and her solemn prayer.
Eleanor felt a surge of unfamiliar energy entering her body, spreading through every cell with a tingling warmth. It was not overwhelming, but invigorating… as though every fiber of her being had been awakened. She felt energized, cleansed, as if she had just awakened from a long, fulfilling sleep and bathed under sunlight. Her eyes closed instinctively, and she drew in a deep, calming breath, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Sarika stood in complete silence, watching the scene unfold. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly in satisfaction.
"The ancestors have accepted her," she thought with awe. "There's no mistake… she carries the blood of Elizabeth Raynor."
