The corridors of the palace stretch endlessly before us, bathed in soft starlight filtering through the high-arched windows. The glow of the cosmos outside shimmers against the polished marble floors, casting elongated shadows as we walk. The silence between us is thick, filled with words left unsaid.

  Caelum leads the way, his posture straight, his movements calculated. His presence feels both familiar and distant, like a memory I can’t quite grasp. I wonder if he notices the way my fingers tighten around the strap of the watch Sirius gave me, or if he senses the hesitation in my steps.

  Sirius, ever the disruptor of uneasy silences, finally speaks. “So, Caelum, what made you decide to answer Father’s summons this time? Last I heard, you were avoiding the palace altogether.” His voice is light, teasing, but there’s an edge beneath it—an unspoken challenge.

  Caelum barely glances over his shoulder. “Perhaps I simply ran out of reasons to stay away.”

  Sirius chuckles, though it lacks real amusement. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

  Caelum stops walking for a fraction of a second, so briefly that anyone else might not have noticed. But I do. He exhales softly before continuing forward. “Or maybe it sounds exactly like me.”

  Something about his words unsettles me. Before I can dwell on it, the large doors to Father’s chamber come into view. Two royal guards stand on either side, their armor glimmering with embedded stardust. As we approach, they step aside in unison, pushing the doors open without a word.

  Inside, Father waits.

  The High Lord of Starlight stands before a celestial map that hovers mid-air, its swirling constellations shifting and pulsing with energy. He barely acknowledges us as we enter, his attention fixed on the luminous patterns of the universe.

  “You took your time,” he says, his voice deep and commanding.

  Caelum bows slightly. “I came as soon as I was able.”

  Father finally turns to face him, his piercing silver eyes assessing, measuring. I’ve always found his gaze unnerving, like he sees more than what is simply there. He gestures toward the map. “Tell me, Caelum, what do you see?”

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  Caelum steps forward, his expression unreadable as he observes the shifting celestial patterns. Silence stretches between them.

  “The balance is off,” he finally says, his tone thoughtful. “Something is disturbing the alignment.”

  Father nods, seemingly pleased by the answer. “Good. You still understand the flow of the stars.” He moves to the edge of the room, where a small, ornate table holds a crystal vial filled with a substance that shimmers like captured moonlight. “Do you know what this is?”

  Caelum’s expression darkens slightly. “Starlight Essence.”

  Sirius whistles lowly. “That’s rare.”

  Rare is an understatement. Starlight Essence is among the most powerful celestial materials in existence, capable of stabilizing cosmic rifts—or destroying them entirely.

  Father picks up the vial, rolling it between his fingers. “There is a disturbance at the borders of the Starlight Kingdom. An anomaly unlike any we’ve seen before. It threatens the very fabric of our realm.”

  Caelum’s gaze sharpens. “And you wish for me to investigate?”

  Father’s lips curl slightly. “You always were the most perceptive.” He places the vial down and steps closer to Caelum. “But you will not go alone.”

  I feel it before I hear it. The shift in energy. The weight of my father’s decision settling over me like a heavy cloak.

  “Cyra will go with you.”

  The words land like a blow.

  My heart clenches. I glance at Caelum, expecting resistance, some form of protest. But he doesn’t react. He merely inclines his head.

  “As you wish, my Lord.”

  My throat tightens. This was not what I wanted. I had called for Caelum, but not for this. Not to be sent away from the kingdom on some dangerous task with him by my side.

  “Father, I—”

  His gaze silences me. “You have spent too much time in the safety of the palace, Cyra. It is time for you to understand the world beyond these walls.”

  I swallow hard. “And what of Altair?” I ask, my voice quieter.

  Altair steps forward then, his expression unreadable. “I must remain here. My duty is to the celestial pathways.”

  Sirius shifts beside me, his usual lightheartedness fading. “And I suppose I’m not invited on this little adventure?”

  Father gives him a pointed look. “Your duties lie elsewhere, Sirius.”

  Sirius sighs dramatically. “Of course they do.” He turns to me, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. “Then at least promise me you won’t let Caelum bore you to death with his brooding.”

  I manage a small smile, but my mind is already racing.

  I don’t want to go. Not with Caelum. Not when there are still so many things left unsaid between us.

  But it’s not a choice. It never was.

  Caelum turns to me then, and for the first time since his arrival, his expression softens. Just slightly. “I’ll make sure she returns safely,” he tells Sirius.

  It should comfort me. It doesn’t.

  Because as I meet Caelum’s gaze, I realize something.

  For all the uncertainty I feel, for all the reluctance that coils in my chest, there’s one truth I cannot deny.

  Something is pulling me toward this path. Toward him.

  And I don’t know if I’m ready to find out why.