Where Shadows Meet Starlight

Previously

…Elara looked between them. The shadows were still pressing, creeping along the baseboards. A crack in the mosaic had widened, and a whisper-thin tendril of darkness was already inside, curling across the floor. “Offer,” she said, her voice flat. “We’re listening.” Thorne’s eyes met hers, old and deep. “The celestial artifact is not hidden. It is trapped. And I know where it lies. But to reach it, you must let go of everything you think you know.” He extended his hand. “Come with me, if you want to save both realms.” The shadows hissed louder, and the crack in the mosaic grew.