Chapter 24 — Isla

Thrown into a damp cell and mentally shattered after losing her bonds to Grim and Oro, Isla finds Lark already imprisoned, barely held together after Cronan’s assault. Despite their hatred, Isla recognizes they share a common enemy and probes for any weakness Cronan might have.

Lark, initially scornful and murderous, begrudgingly admits Cronan “wasn’t always like this,” claiming there was once life and light within him. Isla challenges Lark’s morality, citing the massacres Lark committed, and Lark counters that creation requires destruction, framing death as part of nature’s cycle.

Pressed on the past, Lark recounts knowing Horus first, who sought only the pleasant side of creation. Cronan, however, accepted necessary sacrifices. Together, Lark says, the three pursued a new world. She created the island and life in a prison-realm between galaxies, while Cronan used both her and Horus to reach a power he had long sought.

Lark’s gaze falls to Isla’s diamond, hinting it is central to Cronan’s goal. When Isla asks what the diamond truly is, Lark refuses to elaborate, mocking Isla’s hope and declaring Isla will ultimately give Cronan everything he wants.

The exchange ends with Lark branding Isla a pawn, deepening Isla’s isolation and fear while sharpening the stakes: Cronan’s true objective is tied to Isla’s necklace, and his manipulation spans eras and founders.