Page 78 of Ecliptic

Rowen chuckled, the sound rippling over me in healing vibrations. “Go on. Ask me.”

I squared my shoulders and steeled my face, doing my best Rowen impression. “Show me,” I said, lowering my voice to whatI hoped sounded like a velvet threat. “Or I’ll make you show me.”

The devilish grin that spread across his face made me break character, and a wry smile pulled at my lips. “As you wish,” he said, flourishing his arm out from behind him.

A gasp escaped my lips.

He held a stunning weapon, unlike anything I had ever seen. The metal looked like it had been forged from the night sky.

Rowen bowed as he presented the sword to me with both hands.

My grip settled perfectly around the hilt, between a diamond-shaped pommel and an intricately flared crossguard. The blade itself tapered into a long, deadly point.

Wide-eyed, I drew the weapon before me. It was elegant, threatening, and felt like an empty chalice begging to be filled.

I sent a pulse of Light through the metal, and the sword came to life in my hand. The meteorite glowed brilliantly, casting rings of light around my wrist and forearm, humming with simmering energy.

We waited with bated breath, hoping the Light would hold. And it did.

“It’s breathtaking,” I whispered, watching the blade gleam like liquid starlight. “It’s like it was made for me.”

“That’s because it was,” Rowen said, his green eyes rimmed with silver. He pulled out a piece of parchment from his pocket, unfolding it to reveal a sketch of the blade in my hand. “I designed it just for you, taking your height, weight, stature, and fighting style into account. It’s not too heavy or bulky so you can remain light on your feet.”

I beheld the sketch in awe. It was identical to the weapon I held in my hand.

I’d chosen blades that were too big for me in the past, andRowen ensured I would never make that mistake again. “It’s perfect. How did you even?—”

“I’ve been working on the design for a while. Ever since I saw you fight the Voro-Kai weaponless. When I realized you held no blade, my whole life flashed before my eyes. It was the most horrifying thing I’ve ever witnessed. I showed the design to Bailon and asked if he could forge it for you. He agreed and did a masterful job. See how it’s perfectly balanced; the pommel providing the exact counterweight,” Rowen explained, his voice growing with excitement. “It will give you more control. And these two prongs act as hand guards.”

“It’s spectacular,” I said as tears welled in my eyes. The blade felt as sturdy as the trees yet as swift as a shooting star.

Rowen had poured so much love and effort into designing my weapon. He must have spent countless hours constructing the perfect blade for me, tailoring it to my every need. He had given me a blade before; one I had loved but lost during the Battle of the Crypts. “The old blade you gave me, it would zing in my hand. Just like this.”

“I didn’t know it then, but your old blade must have had fragments of Ever-burn in it. Though nowhere near the amount this blade contains,” Rowen said, eyeing the weapon he’d designed with pride. “See how it’s infinitely light yet looks heavy? This is no ordinary metal.”

He was right. It was a piece of an Ever-burn star, flowing with Alcreon Light. But more than that, it was designed by him. In a way, his hand would see me through every battle.

“It will be fierce to behold you wielding this weapon, Keira. It is uniquely yours.”

I lifted my new blade, marveling at the craftsmanship. Even though it was made with haste, it was flawless. The bladesmiths were truly masters of their craft. It fit like an extension of my arm.

I ran my fingers over the cool metal, noticing a mark etched into the alloy. It was a small, delicate symbol with interweaving loops that seemed to have no beginning or end.

“What does this mean?” I asked, tracing my finger over the mark.

“It is the symbol of resilience. It is one of the first things I learned about you. I thought it only fitting that such a mark lay on your weapon. A desired quality for the mettle of your heart and the metal of your blade.”

My heart nearly burst out of my chest. Rowen didn’t just know me; he truly saw me, every facet of my being, no matter how bright or shadowed. I had never felt more seen. What Rowen had designed for me was nothing short of magnificent.

“What would you like to name it?” he asked, interest sparking his eyes.

My mind immediately thought of my favorite galaxy. I’d spent hours gazing at it, not only as a faint smudge in the sky, but also in greater detail through my telescope. It was easy to find once you located the Andromeda constellation. “One of my favorite lights in the sky. M31.”

“Did you say Mithrion?” he asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Close enough,” I said, arcing my new blade through the air, watching trails of Light ripple around me. “Mithrion.”

A proud smile beamed from Rowen’s face. “It is fitting.”

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