The name rang in his head like a chime.
Aerin.
Not a noble.
Not a royal.
No records in the academies.
Just… a name.
And a countdown.
"She's unstable," Valerian finally said. "We need to find her before the Architect does."
Selene tilted her head. "You think he's after her too?"
"She's a Key," he said. "And if I triggered a gate… what happens if she triggers something worse?"
Lira stepped closer. "Then we go."
Valerian didn't move.
Because a second system message had appeared last night.
One only he had seen.
> [Warning: If the Second Key dies before Synchronization…]
> [...The First will fracture.]
His hand clenched.
---
The Eastern Dunes — 2 Days Later
They traveled by spellcycle across the Crimson Sands, accompanied by a small team: Selene, Lira, Kael, and a Virelian scout named Ilya—a glass-skinned mage who spoke little but saw everything.
The terrain twisted as they neared the epicenter.
