Written

Haunted by imprisoning former guardians and a ticking winter deadline, Isla seeks the blacksmith’s help to track her lost ring. He reveals that long ago a ruler with a tracking flair bound power into a marking—a skyre—and shares half the marking, warning that skyres are a dangerous, soul-costly art and require a linked piece to work.

Back in her room, Isla tests Aurora’s feather, confirming Aurora can draw skyres and offers to teach for “redemption.” Distrusting but desperate, Isla continues nightly hunts. On her rooftop, Sairsha arrives with provisions and reassurances, but Isla is secretly poisoned.

Isla wakes on a river rock encircled by robed acquaintances from the bar—prophet-followers led by Ragan and Sairsha—who call her the Promised, destined to destroy or save the world. They kneel, offer swords, and insist she accept their “gifts,” pressing her to kill them as part of a foretold role. Ragan impales himself with her blade; others advance, forcing Isla into combat despite her refusals.

Weakened yet resisting, Isla incapacitates attackers but accidentally kills two more when they drop their guards. Sairsha escalates, separating her shadow into a solid, sword-bearing double that savages Isla. Isla destroys the shadow; the wound mirrors onto Sairsha, who collapses, thanking Isla as she dies. Isla retrieves her stolen starstick from Sairsha’s scabbard amid the bloodied bodies.

Shattered by the fanaticism and unintended deaths, Isla screams to the night, clutching the starstick, and escapes—newly aware of the perilous power and expectations tethered to the prophecy and to her own nature.