Hope stopped humming.
The garden fell silent. The flowers that had bloomed moments before began to wilt. Their petals turned gray. Their stems drooped.
Lena saw it happen. She had been watching Hope from the porch, content in the stillness. Now she was on her feet, running toward the garden.
"Hope! What's happening?"
The girl looked up. Her eyes—usually bright with warmth—were clouded. Distant.
"I don't know. I feel... empty. Like something is draining me."
Lena grabbed her hand. It was cold. Too cold.
"Lyra! Get Mira! Now!"
---
The healers arrived within minutes.
Amara came first. She knelt beside Hope and placed her hands on the girl's chest. Her face went pale.
"Something is eating her light. Her hope. Whatever made her what she is—it's being consumed."
"By what?"
"I don't
