Chapter 9
Chapter 9: The Shattered Lock
Boon and Kael reach the tower, where the Keeper reveals the orb is only half the key; to free the first weaver he demands both halves. Instead of trading, Boon holds out the orb, which shatters into threads that bind the Keeper and extract the other half from him. The lock breaks, the tower collapses, and they escape. The old woman is freed but the Keeper is gone, leaving the garden unprotected. Boon is left with a single silver thread as they face an uncertain future.
The tunnel stretched ahead, black as pitch except for the golden glow of the orb against Boon’s chest. It pulsed steadily, like a second heartbeat, casting soft ripples of light across the damp stone walls. Kael walked close behind her, his footsteps echoing in the narrow passage. Neither spoke; the silence felt full, as though the tunnel itself was listening.
After what felt like an hour, the corridor began to widen. The walls gave way to rough-hewn steps that spiraled upward. Boon climbed, one hand pressed over the orb to keep it close, the other feeling along the cold stone. The air changed—less damp, warmer—and she caught a faint scent of wood smoke.
“We must be close,” she whispered.
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