Page 50 of Fading Sun

He makes his way to a door in the back corner—one that blends into the wall so well that I didn’t realize it was there—and opens it.

“We’ll walk in a single file line, with my men positioned between each of you,” he tells us, retrieving one of the lanterns near the Buddha’s base. “Understood?”

I shift uneasily and glance at the others.

The only one who looks unfazed is Damien.

“Understood,” he says, and the rest of us voice various versions of the same.

The door leads to a narrow spiral staircase that descends deep into the heart of the monastery, so there’s no choice other than to walk single file. The walls are close—almost oppressive—and the air gets chillier and muggier as we make our way down.

I continually reach for the railing, needing something to steady myself and remind me that I’m not at risk of falling to a dark death.

None of us speak. Assumedly to respect the monks, since they’re the ones leading us through their sacred space.

Then, finally, we reach the bottom of the staircase and stop in front of a small, wooden door. We’re standing in a group now, and while the monks remain in their places between us, I’m finally able to look around at the others.

Blaze and Morgan are on guard. I can practically feel their fire magic ready to ignite at any moment.

Damien, however, looks paler than usual.

He’s always so composed that it confuses me at first. Then, I look back up at the dark staircase that took us deep into the earth, and it hits me.

Damien’s affinity is air. He’s at home high in his skyscraper or flying in a plane… basically anywhere other than deep in the ground. The subway tunnels must have been manageable for him, since he’s used to them, and since they’re not that deep.

Now… I have no idea how far under we are. But when I try to think about it, I feel claustrophobic, too.

The sun is farther away from me here than ever before. It’s suffocating, almost oppressively so.

Then, my light warms inside me, calming me.

Because yes, I’m energized from the sun. It helps me rejuvenate. But my magic is mine. It’s here with me, nestled inside my soul, ready to bend to my command whenever I call for it.

I’ve got this.

The others do, too.

I’m snapped back into focus when the Abbot removes a keyring from his robe and unlocks the door. It creaks on its hinges as it swings open, and I hold my breath, ready for anything.

Luckily, nothing jumps out.

Walking through it is like stepping into another world—a dark, expansive chamber that feels both ancient and untouched. The air is thick with the smell of moss and earth, and as my eyes adjust, I notice the floor is marked with intricately carved sun disks, spread randomly through the room.

But I don’t focus on the discs for long. Because a large door stands in front of us, its surface rough and embedded with a glowing crystal about the size of one of those big, bouncy exercise balls.

An amber crystal.

The Abbot faces me, his expression almost sinister in the flickering light.

I shiver, not breaking his gaze.

“The first trial takes place here,” he says. “You must prove yourself worthy of journeying to find the Solar Scepter by using your sun magic to activate the portal.” He motions to the door with the crystal, as if it’s not obvious that it’s the portal we’ll be entering. “Unlocking the portal requires you to direct a beam of sunlight through a smaller crystal and into the large one on the door.”

“Got it,” I say, since given the nature of my magic, there’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to do this. “Should I do it now?”

“Patience, Star Touched,” the Abbot says. “I’ve not finished laying out your task.”

“Okay,” I say, although my magic’s pulsing through my body, ready.

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