d did n

wat

r name aloud-set westward through the quiet groves, the air pressed tighter around them. Trees

ak often, but when he did, his words came as though borrowed f

mured once. "The Hollow doesn't

it had grown warmer. Almost alive. She had once believed the fe

ark and silver, her staff striking the path with soft thuds. She had never

idge that night, overlooking a

stillness, thick as stone, bleeding

ading," Kael said,

k. "Then we must reach its he

e no stars above the plain. No moon

to sleep beside the fire, Ar

remember

dn't

stle the leav

e plain was no

pright and curved like broke

d shadows-not of

ers that slithered across the air, curlin

ne to his chest. "Th

e stoppe

he said. "Those who passed here wer

from behind a stan

tu

o

ce. This ti

fro

eft behind," the Guide warned. "Do

listen-only

now. The other one-the voice that sang to her as a child. That

breath

the

nd sti

her arm. "I

was t

r had form

e her moth

ed from the stone w

re

hind them. It was a mask built of memory, held together by longing. Aria stoo

id again, ste

speak underwater, beneath layers of silence.

's not her," he growled. "Th

lse of wind circled outward. The fals

. "It's not just a whisper anymore.

ed at Aria's bac

Don't follow.

ed her head and said, "C

ords, Aria nearl

me in muddy from the orchard, when she brought back broken nests to rep

knew th

ething else had

little bird,"

ile faltered.

oo smooth. The illusion cracked,

d her, Ka

forward from the stones-a

g. Before the stone

step back, f

t of my

sh-whipping dust, f

from its presence, and for a

he Field of Forgotten-low, steady, li

aised her s

ning," she com

earth benea

but a memory

dows shrieking. Aria felt the world tilt sideways, a

s in h

ing shape

read on the table. The

d at the window

rt to

know it w

in her hand-one bea

mother sai

, the illusio

gla

lef

ed through the wi

sed the

forgot,"

er screamed-not in

eam cr

alls

he field, breath ragge

haking,

e stone. Her hand

of Forgott

en earth

sile

sil

that foll

e Guide lit their fire, Kael looked

ed into t

almost

nod

said. "It doesn't destroy the worl

e, neither of them

, the Hollow

bered the