The crown hovered, inches above Kaelira’s head. It didn’t drop. It didn’t even shake. Just floated there, casting a quiet, silver light that chased away the smoke swirling around what was left of the village.
No one moved. No one even breathed.
Kaelira, her hand trembling, reached up.
“What… are you?” she whispered.
The second her fingers touched that ancient silver—
Everything shattered.
Blinding silver light ripped out from the crown.
A deafening BOOM. The ground bucked, flinging dust and debris. Windows across Black Hollow exploded inward. Every flame burning the village died all at once, as if some unseen hand had just snuffed them out.
Wind crashed through the valley, shoving trees down so far their branches scraped the dirt. The clouds split apart overhead. The black moon bur
