Page 54

I nodded, though every step forward felt heavier than the last. The Mirror's call remained clear, but my confidence in answering it wavered. Thorn walked beside me, close enough to protect, but with a new distance between us that had nothing to do with physical space.

We continued through the winding streets, the shadowy figures becoming bolder, lingering longer before vanishing. One appeared barely ten paces ahead, its form more substantial than the others, tall and willowy with elongated fingers that seemed to beckon us forward.

"I think they want us to follow them," I whispered.

"Or they're leading us into a trap," Thorn countered, his voice tight with tension.

As we rounded a corner, I gasped. A courtyard opened before us, its center dominated by a massive tree whose branches were laden with glowing blue fruit. Beneath it stood a figure, not a phantom this time, but solid. Real.

She was unlike any being I'd seen before. Her skin was pale blue, almost translucent, with delicate ridges along her cheekbones. Large, pupil less eyes regarded us warily as she clutched a spear fashioned from what looked like crystallized moonlight.

"Stop," she commanded, her voice melodic yet firm. "Why do you trespass in Lumerin?"

I stepped forward, hands raised to show I meant no harm. "We seek the Starforged Mirror."

Her eyes widened, gaze fixing on the Diadem. "The Eclipse Child," she breathed. "The shadows spoke true."

"You know of me?"

"The city knows of you. It has whispered you're coming for centuries." She lowered her spear. "I am Niri. We thought ourselves the last of Lumerin's children."

"We?" Wyn asked.

Niri gestured toward the surrounding buildings. Slowly, more figures emerged from doorways and shadows, perhaps two dozen in total. Some resembled Niri, while others displayed distinct features: scaled skin, feathered hair, eyes that glowed like embers.

"Demihumans," Van whispered in awe. "I thought they were extinct."

"Only in fae lands," Thorn growled, his distaste for the hunting of demihumans clear in his tone.

"Nearly," Niri confirmed. "When Lumerin fell, most fled or perished. We few remained, as we were protected by the city itself. Those that fled, well, most of them were hunted or enslaved. Some find their way back here occasionally."

She explained how they'd lived in secret for generations, surviving on the glowing fruit and water from ancient wells that still flowed with magic. The shadowy figures, she revealed, were echoes of Lumerin's former inhabitants, neither alive nor dead, but memories preserved by the city's lingering enchantments.

"You may shelter with us tonight," Niri offered. "Our homes are humble, but safe."

I glanced at Thorn, seeing my hesitation mirrored in his eyes. "We're grateful, but we're being hunted. We wouldn't want to bring danger to your people."

"She's right," Volker added. "The corruption is spreading. It might follow us here."

Niri nodded solemnly. "Then we will show you a place where you can make camp. Somewhere the shadows guard most fiercely."

Niri led us deeper into the city, through narrow passages and crumbling archways. The shadows continued to dance around us, but they felt less threatening now, more like curious observers than potential threats.

"Not all who find Lumerin stay," Niri explained as we walked. "Some come seeking refuge, then leave once healed. Others remain, becoming part of our family."

We emerged into a small courtyard where several demihumans gathered around a fire that burned with blue white flames. As we approached, one figure looked up, her large ears twitching in alarm.

I froze, recognition washing over me. "Liora?"

The rabbit like demihuman's eyes widened in shock, her delicate features illuminated by the fire's glow. She stood shakily, her hands trembling.

"S-Senara?" Her voice was barely a whisper. "Is it really you?"

Without thinking, I rushed forward, embracing her thin frame. She felt so fragile in my arms, like she might break if I held her too tightly.

"How did you find this place?" I asked, pulling back to look at her properly. I last saw Liora in the Elven dungeons, where they held her prisoner alongside me and many other demihumans.

"After you left..." Liora's voice quivered. "There was chaos, which distracted the guards. A few of us slipped away during the confusion since we weren't sure what the new High Lord would be like." Her doe eyes darted to Thorn, fear flashing across her face before she looked back at me. "I ran for days. The shadows found me half dead at the edge of the forest. They led me here."