over the capital af

er-just

lver haze. From the highest chamber of the Alchemist's Tower, Lyra could see the

it had al

ntly luminous, pulsing at irregular intervals-as thou

t, her palms hovering inches

stless," s

Elias paused

eak to

list

an ar

ore tha

ill aside and ap

gave a f

not

urse

mity," he said carefully. "That

igned to merge mortal emotion with alchemical precision

w tigh

ned it t

studying him in

en it d

ngered bet

epened, thunder roll

inty," Elias said at last

nts co

nts do

" she ask

lickered t

one ever has to beg f

tepped

the same a

n't re

e inside, he kne

unlight-only a pale, diffused glow

ratories, following the scent of

k, sleeves rolled high, dark c

sleep," sh

is inef

nece

ou, pe

lded h

outthink

ok up. "I ca

ed a bundle of freshly gathere

," she said. "I w

napped up.

er wards before I lef

unaccompanied after

es

though recalibrating hi

e reck

contro

each oth

ed-not hostile

ly. "Did you enc

he admitted. "Like something

ession d

ibed-if the Heart frag

led it intentiona

es

nto thought

inding the fe

ough my village isn't random?" s

ies containm

ardian's sigils

ent

d," Elias said slowly, "and the fragment we dete

stomach

erimente

rs a

t went

nce conf

ou bind?" s

back from

aid reluctantly. "An attempt to giv

d to make

es

nd

ew uns

ened. "Because yo

red-anger, defensiven

" he said tightly. "That is pre

tood," she

cracked

trembled

pulsed i

them f

heir magic-subtle,

onizing," El

h wh

oked

th

tower's wards h

Lyra infused them with organic magic-roots threading in

their movements gradually f

ands brushed while in

hrough the line-gold weavi

ghtened beyon

lled bac

t be possible,

tural," Lyra

dn't

se it

ck came

lo

expl

bt

beneath t

ano

id-step on t

u feel

es

remor wasn

ising fr

tower's f

the e

t the lower

or seepe

breath

orest," she

d grimly. "It's

ssure

ething shifted-m

olently across

ove began be

tab

li

pstairs," he

ot lea

anchor t

abandon

ocked-fear m

ground

shat

est guardian-but larger, twisted, its antlers

light and smoke, vein

bedded-was a shard

of the ea

roa

d cracke

ard, magic coiling

you," he s

s hollow gaze

gnit

usa

s agony-raw,

tacking," sh

estabil

ure surge

ed a blast of

t-but only fractur

res spread a

orward despite

sed her

" she

d-not aggressiv

ature h

fted-less fu

lessly. "You tried to force it t

xpression

his time not at him, but

e complet

to it!" El

merge-" L

ld stab

expl

up the staircase wi

lias raced

hed the apex chamber,

ed into the sus

etonated

ielded

e creature's chest

rol console, adjusting s

. "I need you to s

me not to

it n

dn't h

oth palms agai

eru

free from its chest-ripping into the ce

at, everythin

h

b

ud

ong

iv

ian dissolved-not i

ently before dispe

rt stab

soft

ut Elias caug

ces inch

have died,"

ould

lsed steadil

eren

anc

the first time, there was

y a

e me," he

aintly. "It u

ed at h

a cat

s lev

ething irr

, the fiss

the black veins along c

Dorian watched his scrying or

ession d

ed coldly. "You

ward the cap

will e

nd Elias remained standin

uds finally b

moonlight broke

art glowed softly be

we

to

thin

ing be

trand of hair from Lyra

-but didn't

o this now," h

other?" s

eath c

at once-reso

he an

ingdom shifted

no longer a

s a w

od a golden heart tha