Eclipsed heart

ily R

had been

urning fever that had nearly consumed Darian vanished, the dark mark on his neck faded,

able to contain his re

ething else

ss edges softened. Compassion had replaced his cold logic, and where he once sought power w

y part of him, washing away the remnants of th

Ka

hem that he felt no different. That he was

ted to be

d to bel

nce, the way he seemed more distant, the strange flickers in his eyes

ness had not

y m

oon F

ime in years, t

e. The Eternals no longer whispered of doom when they looked at him, and ev

, and the perfect mo

ra to honor the divine cycle-the night when the sky was at its brightest, the moon fu

e golden stars, and for the first time in a long time, E

thers moving through the crowd with ease. Kael was quieter than usual, bu

came with

streets were ali

it apart, torn by a r

he eye could follow. People screamed as the air turned to

e to react before he

ust in time

í

rvived the purge of the demons, the one who h

holy fire. Her black robes flowed as if they were made of living darkne

ling uselessly against

a

chains burned into his skin. His eyes-normally so f

t had not bee

pered, her voice like a blade cutting through the

s lu

en draw his sword-Ría vanished, swallowed by the dar

was

shone so brightly just m

erate

ched for

gdom, calling upon every ally, every hidden contact,

re was

tprints. No whis

Kael had ne

te, barely slept, his once newfound

ht, his fists clenched against the stone walls o

d on his shoulder.

did not

he could

ing wa

Kael was fighting so

could not

ening of

ke in d

of something older than time itself,

he center of a vast chamber c

ake," she s

his throat dry.

re feet silent against the

e placed a cold han

mured. "Good. That means it

ins, his breath coming faster.

t tell you?" She leaned in close,

are A

l f

y turne

whispered

ssel," Ría said

gers, and suddenly,

spreading through his veins, his mind fracturing, his

n-he he

vo

. En

t run from

scr

laug

gasp-his heart pounding, his breath shaking-because f

y were not ca

e callin