He moved closer, his voice steady. “The luminous cluster you're drawn to is what keeps the universe in check.”
The Orb vibrated gently under my fingertips. As I focused, silver lines began to join the stars together, sketching a pattern I almost recognised. My head began to throb, subtle at first, then a sharp, burning pressure rose behind my temple.
“Can you see the outline emerging?” he asked, watching me intently.
“Yes!” Icouldn’ttear my eyes away as the shapes solidified.
“It’s vague at first, but then...it’s unmistakable.”
Cillian’s face lit up with a mixture of pride and solemnity. “The triangles,” he whispered.
“They represent the balance of all things.”
Two interlocking triangles burned through the dark now, their lines sharp and precise.
“These aren’t just symbols,” Cillian murmured. “They are energies, one of order, one of balance. Look closer, Tilly.”
Suddenly, the triangles shiftedout of sync. The radiant light flickered, dimming into darkness.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, my stomach dropping as the stars fell into turmoil.
Cillian remained silent, his eyes fixed on my face instead of the glass.
Ididn’twant him to look at me like that,as if he could see the mess inside my head. I wanted tohide,but there was nowhere to go.
“You’re making me nervous,” I said, my voice small and self-conscious beneath his intense gaze.
“What is it? What do you want to say?”
He leaned closer, his presence enveloping me in a warmth that contrasted with the cool night air.It was the kind of warmth that made me forget how coldI’dbeen feeling inside.
Carefully, he reached out and brushed a strand of hairfrommy forehead. His touch was soft and deliberate, and as his thumb traced a triangular pattern high on my left temple,I froze, unsure whether to lean in or pull away.I felt a mild stinging sensation where his fingers touched my skin.I stared at him for a moment, heart thudding, then a sharp pain,similar tothe onset of my visionsflashed through my head.Heleaned inslowlyuntil there was barely any space between us. His gazedidn’twaver. He just watched me, like he was waiting for something to happen.
“None of the others bore this mark,” he whispered.
I instinctively reached up, touching the sensitive area where his fingers had lingered.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over me. For a moment, I was no longer in the gazebo, I was back on the stool in front of the cuckoo clock, thetick-tockdrilling painfully into my skull. The spot just above my temple burned, just as it does now. I remembered the stars, the voice, and how everything froze before it shattered into the void.
“What mark are you talking about? My arm and neck are scarred, but Idon’thave any scars on my face.”
To my shock,I felt the faint outline of two trianglesraised slightly against my temple. They pulsed beneath my fingertips, humming with the same rhythm asthe Orb’senergy.
“What is this?” I whispered.
Cillian held my gaze for a moment longer, his words carrying a weight of importance.
“This is a part of youthat’sconnected not only to your world but also to mine. In time,you’llcome to understand its full significance.”
Confusion swirled within me, mingled with a newfound curiosity about the mark and its meaning.
Cillian offered no further explanation, enhancing the aura of mystery thatseemed to envelophim.
He gently clasped my hands, bringing me back to the present. His hands were warm. I flinched but didn’t pull away.
“It’sbeen a long night, Tilly. You need to rest, to process all thathas beenuncovered.” He glanced down, thumbs brushing over my knuckles.
“Besides, you’re cold. The stars won’t warm you out here. Allow me to take you inside, where it’s warmer.”
