hmaker's

on. Damp stone walls pressed close on either side, and the flickering lan

lara asked, brushing spid

every stair," Elias muttered. "Th

m walking into a consp

e. Just undergr

a mad inventor's lair than anything else. Bronze gears spun lazily in the ceiling

ver a long table, bent fingers adjusting the t

re rasped without turni

e. "Do I..

chmaker

like a parchment map. Eyes sharp and st

ill*,"

s head. "Mistr

asked, voice dry as cracked glass. "Di

of it," h

but with purpose. She crossed

ed the timepiece into

ze. Clock

losed. "Ah. So the

ked. "No. No loo

ee," Chronelle said. "

filled with dark water. The ripples shimmered

g through a bu

g as time reve

a glowing watch-her

red back. "W

"Not yours. Not yet. But

Elias. "She'

ve time to be,"

d with a dry smile. "Time's the o

tight. "Tell me ab

ocked it with a gear-shaped key, and p

here something-or someone-rewrote a moment too deeply

oll to Elara. Insi

liza

as Blac

abella

lara

Elara said, h

e not just part of this.

dn't choo

a brow. "You thin

itself*. The clocks ticked backward. The walls flickered with blurred imag

Elara and the vision

a?" Elar

te again," Chronelle s

Elara d

" Elias said, grabbing her h

ved with a symbol that pulsed faintly in

he moment you step into the fracture, you'll s

eyes locking onto Elara's, "is t

from a side tunne

constellations. Carriages moved without horses. Gaslamps

his compass.

the coin. "How

r blood," Elias sa

muttered. "

the coin t

*frac

ered. Not

e glass struc

rld *s

the sky. A woman in silver armor-*Arabella*-walking toward th

ra," she sa

been w