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The Sunspire Caverns were worse than the Black Crag.
Where Lyra’s tomb felt ancient and heavy, this place felt hungry. The walls glowed faintly with a sickly white light that hurt your eyes. The air was dry, thin, and tasted like dust and old magic.
We didn’t bring an army. Just me, Darius, Kade, Lyra, Elias, and Aria in my arms. 6 people against a celestial shard and however many Sun Eaters were guarding it.
“Stay close,” Darius ordered, sword out, eyes scanning every shadow. “No sound. If the shard senses us early, we’re done.”
Aria was quiet in my arms. Too quiet. Her gold eyes with the grey ring were fixed on the tunnel ahead like she could see something we couldn’t.
“Mom,” she whispered after 10 minutes of walking. “It’s awake.”
I stopped. “The shard?”
She nodded. “It know
