The fragment of Sarah's past had settled into her like a stone dropped into still water. At first, there was only peace. She felt complete in a way she hadn't since before the scattering. The memories of Althea—her first life, her first hopes, her first dreams—were woven into the fabric of who she was.
But then, the changes began.
It started small. A warmth in her chest that grew stronger each day. A light that seemed to emanate from her skin, faint at first, then brighter. The beings of the First City noticed it before she did. They would stop and stare as she walked past, their faces filled with awe and confusion.
"Sarah," Julian said one evening, his voice careful. "Look at your hands."
She looked down. Her palms were glowing—a soft, golden light that pulsed with a rhythm she didn't
