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“Her anchor is Orin.”

The room quiets like it’s holding its breath, and even Silas—perpetual storm in a meat suit—leans forward, expression carved with something rare: focus. Real, heavy,not-a-jokefocus.

“They’re holding the portal shut to keep us out,” Caspian continues, like the words don’t cost him anything. “I’ve seen it. He devours to feed her portal inside the pillar. She’s got her own version now—an imitation of the original. It’s how she stays tethered. And if we break that pillar, that portal, she dies. But…”

He glances at Luna, and I hate how fucking soft his eyes get.

“…we can’t. Not with Orin holding it shut.”

I lean back, crossing my arms tight over my chest because if I don’t, I’ll break something. Or someone.

“Branwen doesn’t know?” I ask. My voice scrapes like stone on steel.

Caspian shakes his head once. “She doesn’t. She thinks it’s her own strength holding it steady. But it’s him. Orin’s bracing it from the other side.”

“And why the fuck would he do that?”

The answer hits before he gives it.

“To keep Luna out.”

She flinches, just barely, and I see it—feel it like a gut punch inside the bond I keep pretending doesn’t matter.

Caspian looks at her, then all of us, jaw tight. “He’s scared. Scared that if she comes in after them, she won’t come back out. And he’d rather stay buried than risk her getting swallowed by Branwen’s hollow.”

The silence this time isn’t sharp. It’s sinking. Like the whole fucking room is being pulled under.

“And if Orin’s the one holding it shut…” I begin.

“There’s no way in,” Caspian finishes.

Ambrose speaks finally, his voice low, amused despite the subject. “So we’re caught between a locked door and a sacrifice no one asked for.”

“Exactly,” Caspian says. “And we can’t break it from here. We’d have to beinsideto touch the pillar. But Orin’s standing between us and that world, and he’s not going to budge.”

Silas throws himself backward, flopping over the couch with a groan. “Gods, can we just send in Luna with a sexy note and a peace offering? Or maybe just her boobs? I feel like Orin would fold.”

“Silas.” I grind out.

“What? It’s avalidstrategy.”

Elias flicks a pen at his forehead. “You’re the reason we’re not allowed in diplomatic meetings anymore.”

“Diplomatic?” Silas laughs. “We just found out one of our strongest is playing lock-and-key for a mad goddess and no one’s gotten punched yet. That’sverydiplomatic.”

Luna’s been quiet, but her eyes flick back and forth like she’s calculating. Not panicking. Not emotional. She’sthinking. And that’s worse.

Because I know what she’s going to suggest before she says it.

“I have to talk to Orin,” she murmurs.

“No,” I snap, louder than I mean to. “Absolutely not.”

“We don’t have another way—”

“You think you’ll just walk through a portal held shut byOrin’s will, like he’s not doing it specifically to keep you out? You think he’ll listen if you ask him nicely?”

“If he sees me—”