CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: THE FIRST FALL
(Mirabel's POV)
History is rarely written by heroes.
Most of the time—
it's written by survivors.
The Silence After
The cavern remained utterly still.
Not because the shadows obeyed.
Because they were listening.
Waiting.
Alaric's head remained bowed for several long seconds.
The ancient being who had terrified entire kingdoms.
The creator of the fragment network.
The monster everyone feared.
And yet—
when he finally lifted his gaze toward me—
all I saw was exhaustion.
An exhaustion centuries old.
"You wish to know what happened."
It wasn't a question.
The silver threads surrounding the cavern pulsed softly.
Thousands of fractured souls waiting for the truth.
Waiting for someone to finally speak it aloud.
"Then listen."
The World B
