CHAPTER 48

AMANDA MOFOKENG - CELE.

The air changes before she even understands what is happening. The shift in energy is sharp, unsettling—like something ancient settling onto her shoulders. Amanda feels her skin prickle, her heartbeat thudding in a scattered rhythm. The discomfort crawls slowly up her spine until her whole body feels foreign. She becomes painfully aware of every breath she takes… and how each one suddenly feels too small.

"Ningahlala phansi."
(You may sit down.)
Nhlokwemamba instructs gently, gesturing for Amanda and Reneilwe to settle down on the grass mat. But as soon as Amanda folds her legs beneath her, the uneasiness deepens. Her lungs feel tight—too tight. A thin wheeze escapes her throat as if something is pressing against her chest.