Whispers of the Moonlit Grove

ed low to shield her face from the prying eyes of surveillance drones. She had learned long ago to keep to the shadows, where anonym

ge, its spires now crumbled under the weight of neglect. She pushed open the heavy oak doors, their groan echoin

t books. One by one, she pulled volumes from the shelves, stacking them haphazar

ugh the brittle pages until an image caught her eye-a forest bathed in silver light, it

ows dance and secrets dwell, lies

psed in her dreams, a place that seemed to call to her

library. Elara froze, her instincts sharpened by years of survival. She sl

is long coat billowing behind him as he scanned the room. In his hand, he held

ccident. She watched as he approached the shelves she ha

omething she couldn't hear. Then, with a low, rumblin

ad, she stepped out of the shadows, her s

e weight of countless secrets. "Someone who knows what you've found," he said, nodd

st him-she never trusted anyone. But there was som

she asked, gesturing

oonlit Grove," he said. "A place of unimaginable beauty-and unimagina

. "And you think you're

ry and amused. "Not think," he sai

ispers growing louder with every passing second. She didn't kn

right," she said. "Show

t reach his eyes. "Then we'd better start

y under Elara's arm, she couldn't shake the fee

the journey to the Mo