Page 32 of Favored By the Stars

I stepped forward before I could second-guess myself, ignoring Thorn's warning hand on my shoulder. My Moon Mark burned with an intensity that made me wince, but I stood my ground.

"We seek passage, Guardian," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "We mean no harm to this place or to you."

The water being tilted its head, those mesmerizing eyes fixing on the side of my face and traveling down my neck, observing my mark. "You bear the mark of She Who Watches The Night," it observed. "Yet you travel with one who serves the Sun." Its gaze shifted to Thorn, whose grip tightened on his sword.

"We serve neither court," I replied carefully. "At least, not anymore. We seek only safe passage through your domain."

The creature drifted closer, its watery form rippling with each movement. "Your pursuit brings conflict to peaceful grounds. The courts stir above, and their ire follows in your wake."

Guilt washed over me. Even here, in this hidden sanctuary, we couldn't escape the consequences of our actions. "We didn't choose this path," I said softly. "But we must continue. Too much depends on it."

The guardian seemed to consider this, its fluid form rippling with contemplation. "The ancient accords allow for sanctuary to be granted to those in need, regardless of court allegiance," it finally said. "But passage through the Twilight Caverns is not without cost."

My heart sank. Of course there would be a price. There always was in the fae realm.

"What is your price?" Thorn asked, his voice tight with suspicion.

The water being's mouth curved into what might have been a smile. "A truth from each of you. Not just any truth, but one you have never spoken aloud. One that dwells in the twilight spaces of your own hearts." The water being seemed to consider us for a moment, its form shifting and changing like currents in a stream. Finally, it extended a fluid arm, pointing toward a narrow passage I hadn't noticed before. Opposite from the one Thorn had been leading us to.

The water being's form shifted and changed like currents in a stream. Finally, it extended a fluid arm, pointing toward a narrow passage I hadn't noticed before. Opposite from the one Thorn had been leading us to.

"The eastern path will lead you beyond the courts' immediate reach," it said. "But heed this warning: what lies beyond has slumbered undisturbed for centuries. The balance there is... delicate."

My throat tightened. "What does that mean?"

The guardian's silver-gold eyes fixed on me, unblinking. "It means that some doors, once opened, cannot be closed again."

Before I could press further, the being turned its attention to Wyn. "You first, child of change. What truth lies hidden in your heart?"

Wyn stepped forward, her small frame trembling slightly. I reached for her hand, but she shook her head, facing the guardian alone. Her silver-white hair seemed to absorb the cavern's light, glowing with an inner radiance.

"I," she faltered, then straightened her shoulders. "I'm afraid of what I'm becoming. My magic grows stronger each day, changing me in ways I don't understand. Sometimes I wake in the night, and I don't recognize my reflection." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I fear that one day, there will be nothing left of who I was."

The water guardian rippled, absorbing her words. It nodded once, then turned to Volker.

The mentor's face remained impassive, but I noticed his hands trembling slightly at his sides. "My truth," he began, his voice surprisingly steady, "is that I have known about the corruption spreading through the courts for decades. I've watched it grow, studied its patterns, and said nothing. Not even to my most trusted students." His eyes flickered briefly to Wyn. "I believed knowledge without action was safer than ignorance. I was wrong."

The guardian accepted this with another nod, then turned to Thorn.

My heart skipped as Thorn stepped forward, his tawny skin gleaming in the crystalline light. His face was a mask of determination, but I could see the conflict in his eyes.

"My truth," he said, his deep voice echoing off the cavern walls, "is that I have never belonged to the Sun Court, not truly. My loyalty has always been divided." He paused, swallowing hard. "When I accidentally bonded with Senara, I knew immediately that I would betray my oaths if it meant keeping her safe. And I would do it again."

His Sun Marked eye flared briefly as he spoke, as if responding to his confession. My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, our gazes met across the cavern. The intensity in his gaze made my heart race.

Then the guardian turned to me, those otherworldly eyes piercing through any defenses I might have raised.

"And you, Eclipse child? What have you to tell me?"

Volker's sharp intake of breath made me flinch, but I ignored it and faced the guardian.

I stood frozen, the guardian's words ringing in my ears. Eclipse child. My heart hammered against my ribs as the truth crackled in the air around us like a storm about to break.

The water guardian's form rippled with something that might have been amusement. "Your truth, child. The one you hide even from yourself."

My mouth went dry. I could lie, but somehow I knew the guardian would sense it. And what would happen then? Would we be trapped here forever, or worse?

"My truth is..." I began, my voice barely above a whisper. I closed my eyes, unable to look at my companions as I spoke. "I've always known I was different. That my mark was different. When I finally connected with my magic, it doesn't feel like borrowing power; it feels like remembering something I've always known."

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