**Nymera’s POV**
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By the third day, the world felt thinner.
The air, the sky, even the walls of Hollowfang—all of it felt stretched too tight. Like something immense was pressing against the veil between what is and what could be.
And I was the only one keeping it from ripping wide open.
The Spiralborn hadn’t attacked since the burning woman. But the silence was worse.
Because we all knew what it meant.
They were waiting for *Day Three*.
And it came at dawn.
---
A child appeared outside the gates.
Alone. Wrapped in furs soaked with dew. Eyes blank, lips stitched shut with silver thread.
I ran to the edge of the wall the moment the horn blew.
Kaelith was already there, his bow drawn but lowered.
“She’s not armed,” he muttered. “She’s barely breathing.”
The girl raised her
