as louder

he swirling abyss that carved through the heart of Noctarion. It wasn't

ht. It pulsed in rhythm with the Hollow Moon overhead, which

slept since

yesterday. A face she'd never seen until it ap

meant to remem

he di

changed e

Archivist's words echoed in her mind: You are the lock and

meant. Not fully. But sh

she had to desce

was fo

where reality folded in on itself. Creatures that had been erased from histo

didn't

Thread

epped

light from the Hollow Moon faded until only her pendant lit the way. The walls of t

gnore

e goal: fi

be days. Time didn't

t moss. At its center stood a pool of black water

ion stared

wasn'

as K

were silver like hers, but colde

y the pool. "

ion blinked

he water rippled.

stepped out

as r

as h

was not

s, too many eyes. Creatures born of broken threads. They h

a hand. The cr

n't have co

ood. "I

't belon

Threa

rkened. "That's not wh

the silence between them

loser. "Why did

rotec

m wh

om

d a stone arch carved into th

ilver. The air shimmered with unstable magic. Time bent he

idn't lo

the Hollow Moon," Seren said.

did more than that.

Umbr

ething

ls. Each held a memory-Seren saw flashes of her childho

ed Seren as a baby, cradled

ther,"

tightened. "She

the law t

hy

"Because we were born

d back. "That'

"We're not just Thre

flared. The shad

aven't you? The hunger. The pull. The way

nodded

elen whispered. "

ound t

stals s

adows

bed Seren's

ng stone and lunging beasts. The Maw screamed aroun

passage that led upward

ed. "You nee

er head. "Not

he said. "I'm b

l bre

adly. "That's w

d. "Take this. It holds the truth

n no

ed back into

vani

e Maw, heart heavy, cry

Moon puls

low, Umbro