THE GOLDEN HEART OF ASHBORNE

Valenwood di

wat

agic that pulsed when moonlight touched them. Moss crawled over stone ruins long swallowed by roots and time, and so

n the satchel slung across her sho

invited

ra had always

he old woman would say, grinding herbs beneath

a tried to r

e boundary stones etched with warnings villagers pretended not to see. A strange sickness had spread through Ashbourne Holl

lay a single truth whispe

had aw

beneath the soil. Roots recoiling from i

rching for the only plant rumored to counter dark enchantments-the st

damp leaves, her fingers

she murmure

ith her. Plants leaned toward her touch. Seeds sprouted quicker in her presence. She

low flick

pulse q

er

the fern-delicate fronds shim

flood

ached

came aga

a f

he rose t

cross from h

emerged fr

lf. No

o the clearing, and Lyra

s body seemed carved from shadow and smoke, ribs faintly visible ben

ed gua

ies had

ed. "Easy,"

at the ground, fl

protectin

ding someth

rth tr

uld react, the

e fire scorched the soil where she had stood. Pai

but scramb

d, instinctively

rom her palm-

uck the creat

at, everythin

roared-not in f

ts body cracked li

oming in her chest. She

ggered, flames f

beneath t

it surged a pulse of dark ener

ag disintegra

umbled

llic and ancient buried beneath the soil-a

lse ha

o simple f

had been b

ing po

ine it further, the g

led as quickly

nce

rembling, ch

ssom fern l

distant capital, its spires

as stirring beneath Valenwood, n

rson rumored to under

mist of t

s Ve

e as dangerous as th

ower pierced the

gold. Windows glowed faintly at impossible angles, shifting sub

ft unc

three days later, boots

had tried

elf," they'd warned.

d come

doors bore

"Elias Veyra," she cal

le

doors gro

enough to ad

y a second before

lammed shut

d along the wa

wed with tomes bound in leather and metal. Glass vials shimmered with liquids of every colo

man in a dark coat, sleeves roll

p from the device

disrupted a time-lock enchantment," he sa

. "I'm not mo

looked

sharp gray-c

rhaps. Dark hair fell loosely around his face, and faint sil

shbourne Hollo

d. "How do y

e wild thyme a

ith irritation. "My

sed," he replied flatly

loser. "This

ade hi

her more in

ething else,

ed the urge

ed faintly ar

ze sha

ng," he sa

to be studied

my doors to chari

ackled bet

action," Lyra said. "I'll g

And what could you

ated only

ma

le

ir sh

enuine interest ignit

pla

forest, the creatur

hemical script, Elias

a nearby table, scat

crib

e

nd tre

ossible," h

t is

ng vulnerable flickered behi

d quietly. "Of the P

ung heavy

d," Ly

Elias correcte

omach

re se

ed away

ce-alchemy and living magic fused into one

e trying t

't a qu

not d

she d

jaw ti

knowl

not an

. "Over death. Over inevitability. Over the

in his voice

had hu

he could

ftened

he said quietly. "If thi

catalyst," El

ped tow

ou

eath c

ined. It responds emotionally

back. "I won't

t say sa

dn't ha

e thic

, Elias

age," he said. "In exc

f I re

you may attempt to su

ared a

stare withou

, she r

d

ctric thrumme

at last. "But I

aintly. "You assume

me you

ade hi

tant smile cu

Ashborne," he sai

nded hi

eat's hesitati

r skin touched,

t collided

wer tr

tered some

eyes w

urged through her veins

zying instant, s

standing over

atory i

of gold and crystal bea

it wa

apart, b

ir hu

as though seeing her

you?" he

his gaze

to ask you th

seen, a crystal or

he capital, Lord Dorian Kalt lea

mered with g

ile curving his lips. "So the alch

djusting h

ordered softly. "It seems t

d slowly, absorbing the chaos

es gu

walls glowed bri

lly ordered wo

r arms despite her racing

ing staircase that led upward-

ned once more, but s

in the

g," he replied.

d toward t

ly a moment befor

doors seal

storm clou

tion stones, something anc

of Ashborne had