Page 77 of Ecliptic

They ran their experienced hands over the smooth surface of the stone, testing its texture, murmuring to each other as they worked.

The sound of metal striking metal echoed up the crater walls. With precision and tools, they carefully chiseled off a fragment of the Ever-burn star. Leer, the younger elve with short, brown hair and boyish charm, helped Bailon wrap a piece of the star in a protective cloth. We all waited with bated breath as they made their way back up.

“It appears to have all the right qualities for a good blade,” Bailon said, carrying the wrapped star fragment under one of his well-muscled arms.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” remarked Leer, his face filled with awe.

“If it forges as well as it looks, we might have a chance of making many weapons in a short amount of time,” Bailon said, his exceptionally thick brows shooting up in excitement. “I have worked with countless materials, but none such as this.”

“Do you think it will work?” I asked the older smith.

Bailon’s deep-set eyes mirrored my cautious hope. “It is hard to say.”

“Can you have a few pieces ready by tomorrow?” Rowen asked, standing beside me, his eyes locking with mine as the strong column of his throat bobbed. “There is no way to know if these blades will work unless we find the escaped Voro-Kai.”

Leer’s youthful face hardened with determination, and a spark of purpose lit his hazel eyes. “We will work through the night. One of the missing warriors is my friend. I would like to see him found and put to rest.”

My gut lurched at his words. Not even our war captain and two seasoned warriors had been able to defeat a single Voro-Kai. And now we faced the brutal task of potentially searching for three. The thought of hunting down the demon sent terror and panic through my very soul, but he was right. We needed to know if this metal could stand against the Voro-Kai.

“We have much to do,” Nepta said, swirling the top of hercrescent moon staff before her. A circle of shimmering light appeared, revealing the familiar sight of the Wyn village on the other side. “When I know the destination, I can get us there faster.” Her sharp eyes shot to mine, and I could have sworn she winked at me. “Space is but a cloth. Once folded, the two destinations meet, making from here to there mere touch points.”

I stepped through her portal, feeling the borrowed energy shift around me. The earth had accepted Nepta’s request, and in one step, I traveled across hours of land. I emerged on the other side, marveling at how my and Nepta’s abilities differed.

As the smiths left to begin their work, the suffocating weight of terror eased, just a little. In its place, a sliver of hope settled in.

Rowen’s broad hand landed on my shoulder. “We need rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Am I—” Maddock said, but Rowen cut him off with a knowing look.

“Yes. You’re coming,” my soul flame said, his voice steady. “You carry Keira’s Light. We may need your help more than we’d like to admit.”

“Let’s hope this Ever-burn thingy is what you’ve all been searching for,” Maddock said, grinning as he gave Rowen a pat on the shoulder.

I nodded in agreement, unable to say a word. The enormity of our situation pressed down on me and stole my breath.

If the meteorite proved successful, the real work had yet to begin.

I spent the next day in the Hymma, searching tirelessly for any sign of the desert elves or the symbol on Rayal’s necklace. I passed through doorway after doorway within the maze of my mind but found nothing.

Mentally exhausted, I left the Hymma and dressed.

A sense of failure coated my skin like crackling mud. It irritated and chafed. But no matter how hard I tried to find our salvation, I came up empty-handed. It was as if there were a barrier keeping me from finding Rayal.

I needed a few minutes to gather myself before returning to the village.

The mirrored walls of the Hymma reflected my face, and I traced the changes in my appearance. I began at my pointed ears, bejeweled with shimmering studs, and then the freckles of light scattered across my nose like constellations. Finally, I gazed into my irises, the Alcreon Light brimming in my eyes with the energy of the stars.

What ancient knowledge and long-forgotten secrets had yet to emerge from the nooks and crannies of my mind? The answers I sought seemed so close yet so far away.

A frown tugged at my lips. We were running out of time.

Suddenly, Rowen appeared in the reflection, his towering frame striding toward me. The night mist whirled around him, reminiscent of the times I had astral-projected to him in my sleep, thinking him no more than a hallucination.

My full attention turned from my reflection to the man whose presence washed over me like a spring rain.

Usually, his strong arms swung freely by his side, but tonight, he kept one hand hidden behind his back.

“Is it my turn to ask what you’re hiding behind your back?” I asked, remembering when I’d hidden my woven basket from him, tucking it behind me so he wouldn’t see my jumbled creation.

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