died - but the world sm

s, her cloak whipping in the early win

nstone stretched toward the sky, their tips catching the first light. Bridges m

of Silv

walked - and where the

wanted to go. But it was th

ts crunching against frost. With every step, she could feel eyes

awake

ntress

d her first,

had no intention of being found - not by go

k of her mind. The thread between her soul and Eryndor's. It pulse

hat she cou

at part of h

h enough to turn the world gold. The guards barely looked up as

, hawking glittering fruits and bottled dreams. Silver-armored patrols moved through the streets like pr

o hide her mark. The last thing

intly of dust and lavender. The innkeeper, a plump woman with kind eyes, didn't ask

laying the night before - the moment Eryndor's fingers

he rem

tried not t

that b

afford to belie

d her name - like it hurt him - made her

ht, Lyra

r trees beneath a bleeding moo

as callin

yr

yndor stood at the edge of the cle

way," s

ce was quiet, heavy with sorrow. "

n't as

dess felt it. Every reborn memory weaken

owned.

with silver veins. "Your death was never meant to be final. You were

d. "What are yo

Lyra. The Goddess trapped part of her divine soul inside you when

e trees began to bur

step back. "

think she made me your killer? To kee

shattered

. The mark on her palm glowed through h

r creak

dream this time. Real. Solid. His p

" she

ckered to her hand. "The mark

was

"Lying doesn't s

"Don't cal

s movements smooth, controlled

said, shov

ugh that she stopped. The warmth of his hand

here. The Goddess's soldiers are already in the ci

ree. "Then le

t fight t

n kill enough to mak

d. "That's not bravery

u're doing?" she shot back. "Run

y stood there, fire

tly, "You think I have

roze.

was mortal. Every time you died, she made me remember - ever

inside Lyr

ought he was the monste

e'd been a

ew heavier, thick with thin

hispered, "What

- gold burning into si

th caught.

is is to find the Moon's heart before she

to tell him she didn't trust him, that

he di

the truth: she needed him ju

you betray me again, I'll make sure

to the faintest, most tr

the window. "We l

a whispered, almost to herself, "Th

is voice sof

ever