Point o

ing felt heav

like I hadn't slept at all. I could still see Cassian's face in my mind, the

't shake

an ancestor?

I believe hi

nest of stress and caffeine. She had t

mbled, not looking

asked, squinting at the

ne of the mugs into my hand and motioned fo

meant anything

t. "This was in the restricted section of the digital archives. It's a transcription

y at the edges. The handwriting was jagged, urgent. Scrawled in

aloud

silver wrappings, untouched by time, and the mirror recognized her instantly. The seal fra

at Naomi, he

ly like what Cassi

not even the worst part. Th

od ran

I'm her rei

dant. Or cosmic copy-paste

the name. Lyrena. It felt familia

hases, diagrams of the celestial gate Cassian mention

te,' exactly?" I asked, f

ether, it's not a literal gate-it's like a rift in spa

constellation fr

act

n eclipse-the one coming in three weeks-the seal holding back

Moonborne

s I s

-

a, but algebra didn't really seem important when

the one students weren't supposed to enter. Naomi had bribed

he air like frozen mist. The walls were covered in old tapestries a

binet, was a trapdoor. It had a silver wolf sigil carved

uche

lsed once-warm-

"Okay. Definit

imbed

in the center, a pedestal holding an ancient box. Runes gl

My mark tingled again

spered, voice sha

ned t

one had a moonstone carved with the Silver Vein constell

hed it, something

fl

vo

Moon for moon. The p

back. Naomi

ear that?"

r eyes went

st, too fast. The

he doorway, panting like he'd run a marathon.

ou doing?!" he snapp

had t

eyes flashing. "That box-that's a

eld it up. "I d

d. "Good. Because that neckla

inked. "

s voice

brings the

-

e chamber

on the floor, wrapping his injured

o after the gree

... the council isn't thrille

d her eyes. "

balance between celestial and terrestrial realms. When you tou

or any of this,

e ever

you're stronger

ght me o

added. "Because

m not?"

dn't

ot three weeks until the blood moon. Cassian, if you'

off his jeans. "Fine. Yo

th no

tonight. In

he star observato

es gleamed.

-

waited until N

walked to the Astrarium. The night sky was cloudl

ng on the roof, legs dangling of

d up bes

is older than Lunaris itself. I

o?" I

rned

the other sid

ed out something

ph

black-and-

ked just like me. Standing b

ou?" I ask

dded

y, Lyra," he said.