The ground beneath the Silent Garden didn’t just shake—it groaned, deep and terrible, as if something enormous was dying below. Above the crystal ceiling, jet engines shattered the frozen silence.
“They’re not waiting!” Julian yelled. He was loud, desperate. He seized Maya’s hand, gripping tightly. “Maya, we have to move! The ceiling’s coming down!”
But Maya couldn’t make her legs move. Her boots felt glued to the cave floor. Her thoughts tangled—silver threads, digital voices, the strange pulse of every winged thing hidden in the dark. Worst of all, she felt the heat of incoming missiles. They were locking on, even from miles away.
“The Board… they’re wiping the site,” Maya whispered. She wouldn’t look away from the blue statue of Dr. Aris. Somehow, even frozen, he looked like he was l
