Chapter 28

Gregor dreams of the carriage crash and Domenico’s dying plea, reliving his absence and guilt. He wakes aching and disoriented. Sancia recounts the scrived visions from his reset, including Ofelia’s words, confirming to Gregor that Ofelia killed his father without foreseeing the boys’ presence. He reevaluates Ofelia—her grief and conviction—and questions the endless cycle of factional conflict.

They debate whether scriving itself is the root of their world’s cruelties. Sancia argues human ambition would only seek another tool, yet also shows its beauty: her twinned bond with Berenice. Gregor briefly considers joining their link but refuses, fearing the manipulations embedded in him could endanger them. He muses on broader unity—an army or nation minds-linked—then sets aside the dream for the task at hand.

In the basement, Valeria unveils a copper sphere designed to compress and sculpt time for Clef’s restoration. Sancia places Clef inside and activates it. Time distorts catastrophically: everyone is suspended between moments, consciousness fraying. Amid the warp, Sancia and Berenice glimpse people on a beach calling a stone door from the sand; Gregor instead sees vast fiery doors on golden hinges; Orso sees nothing.

Cracks race through the building as Valeria strains to contain the alteration. The team evacuates to the library. When the upheaval ends, Sancia reenters the ruined basement and retrieves the intact orb. She opens it and, after tense silence, hears Clef’s long, rising groan erupt into frantic, confused shouting. Exhausted, Valeria warns she hopes it was not too late, but the impossible has worked: Clef is back.