THE SHATTERED STAR

ng as they journeyed toward the unknown. The air was still, the horizon stretching endlessly

short time: the legacy of the Guardians, the Shattered Star, and the dark forces that were now hunting her. The sense of responsibili

t had driven him to seek her out, what he saw in her that made him believe she could protect the Sta

. "What happened to the other Guardians?

go. The Star was split apart, its power scattered to prevent it from being misused. But over time, some

e Star, but it seemed the burden had proved too great. Her heart ached at the th

. You're the last of the Everdawns-the bloodline chosen to prote

t a chill down her spine. What would they do to her if they

embling with uncertainty. "How do I find the pie

Your bloodline has always carried the power of the Star, but it has lain dormant within you. You m

e challenges would only grow harder. But she could feel something stirring within her-an energy, a p

e forests. The path they followed wound through ancient trees, their branches twisted and knotted as if they had been

the jagged peaks looming in the distance. Th

ces are scattered across the land, hidden in places that have long been forgotten

mples and lost cities, of treasures hidden for centuries,

oice firm despite the nerves

ng the ground. The air grew colder as they ventured deeper, and Lyra could feel the weight of the mountain

of the Shattered Star, of the great power it held, and the cataclysm it caused when it was broken. Bu

f ancient stone steps wound their way upward. The ruin was hidden

tar is within. But be warned, Lyra-this temple is old, and its defenses

hard but nodded

llness. The temple loomed ahead, its ancient walls etched with symbols she couldn

ht from her lantern barely cut through the shadows. The tem

nd on his sword hilt. "The temple is a

shake the feeling that they were being watched. The walls seemed to pulse, the symbols on the

e, ethereal light. Atop the pedestal rested a fragment

aught in her th

re she could touch it, a deafening roar shook the temple. The ground t

t, its form a mass of shadow and smoke. It had eyes lik

but Thorne was alrea

rne said through gritted teeth. "The te

unged, and the