Page 55 of Favored By the Stars

I squeezed her hands. "I'm so glad you're safe."

Liora's ears drooped slightly. "Not everyone made it. The corruption..." She trailed off, unable to finish.

"I know," I whispered. "I'm sorry we couldn't help more of you."

"You did more than most would dare," she replied, her gaze drifting to the Diadem on my head. "You're different now. There's something about you that's... changed."

I touched the Diadem self consciously. "A lot has happened since then."

"You're the Eclipse Child," she whispered, awe and fear mingling in her voice. "The shadows whispered about you. They say you'll either save us all or destroy everything."

Her words hit me like a physical blow. I took a step back, my hand still on the Diadem.

"I don't want to destroy anything," I said quietly. "I just want to stop the Void Dragon Empress before she corrupts everything."

Liora's ears twitched nervously. "I didn't mean," She looked down at her feet. "The shadows speak in riddles. No one truly knows what they mean."

Thorn moved closer, his presence solid and reassuring despite the tension that had grown between us. "We're looking for the Starforged Mirror. Do you know anything about it?"

Liora's eyes widened. "The Mirror? It's here, but..." She glanced at Niri, who gave a subtle nod. "It's protected. Not just anyone can approach it."

"I need it," I said, trying to keep the desperation from my voice. "The Diadem helps stabilize my magic, but the Mirror will show me the truth, help me see through illusions. Without it, I don't know if I can face what's coming."

Liora hesitated, then nodded. "Niri can take you there tomorrow. But tonight, rest. The path to the Mirror...From what I know, it tests you. Be careful."

The others settled around the blue fire, accepting bowls of strange glowing fruit that Niri's people offered. Despite my exhaustion, I felt restless. I slipped away from the group, finding a quiet corner of the courtyard where moonlight filtered through a broken ceiling.

I closed my eyes, trying to center myself, but doubt continued to gnaw at me. Eclipse Child. The words felt like both a blessing and a curse.

"You're troubled."

I turned to find Van standing a few paces away, his lute slung across his back.

"The shadows whisper here too," I breathed. "But I can't understand what they're saying."

Van moved closer, his expression unusually serious. "They're echoes of the past, Senara. Don't let them dictate your future."

"And what if my future is already written? What if I'm just playing a part in some cosmic game?"

He smiled then, a genuine warmth breaking through his usual charm. "If there's one thing I've learned from watching you, it's that you make your own destiny. Eclipse Child or not."

I looked up at Van, his words bringing a flicker of comfort amid my storm of doubts. "Thank you. I just wish I could be as certain as you seem to be."

A soft breeze whispered through the courtyard, carrying the scent of the strange glowing fruit and something older, a fragrance that reminded me of ancient books and forgotten magic.

"I used to sing tales of the Eclipse Child," Van admitted, sitting beside me on a fallen column. "I never imagined I'd actually meet one."

"What did those tales say?" I asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Van's fingers absently strummed a quiet chord on his lute. "They varied. Some spoke of a savior who would unite the courts. Others..." He hesitated.

"Others spoke of destruction," I finished for him.

He nodded reluctantly. "But here's what I've learned in my years of collecting stories: prophecies are rarely what they seem. They're like music, open to interpretation."

I touched the Diadem, feeling its steady warmth against my skin. "This helps balance my magic, but I still feel... incomplete. Like I'm missing something crucial."

"The Mirror will help with that," Van said confidently. "It reveals truth, strips away illusion."

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