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“I am but of no threat to you,” she replies, her tone calm, almost dismissive, as if my question is absurd.

“But who are you?” I press again, unwilling to let it go.

“It’s of no importance,” she says with a soft shrug, her enigmatic smile remaining in place.

“Why are you here?” I press, the grip on the hilt of my knife tightening. “What do you want?”

The maiden doesn’t answer. Instead, she reaches out and places a gentle hand on my shoulder. “It is not what I want, but what you must see,” she says cryptically, her tone almost gentle. “The thread binds tighter now,” she mumbles, her voice lilting and melodic. “Do not look away when the path reveals itself. Not again.”

My frown deepens as confusion floods my mind. “What are you talking about?”

“You are the thread that binds him to the stars. You walk beside a child of the sun, his light drawn to your shadow. You are the moon, ever turning, your cycle complete. Together, you balance the sky, for one cannot rise if the other should fall.”

The maiden stares ahead, as her eyes seem to cloud faintly. Then, in a tone that carries both melody and gravity, she speaks.

You journey now with sun-born kin,

To find the spear, the battle’s twin.

The warrior bold from Gorias’ might

Seeks the blade of eternal light.

Two hearts entwined, a cauldron they crave,

A vessel of plenty their fate will pave.

And you, my child, seek what’s been torn—

The shard of your soul, to be reborn.

I blink, the cryptic words weaving into my mind, unsettling and strange. “I don’t… I don’t understand,” I say, shaking my head.

The maiden smiles faintly, her eyes holding a knowing sadness as she steps back. “The answers you seek are not mine to give,” she whispers, her melodic voice carrying a mystical weight. “This is the end of the road for the knowledge I possess.”

Her words settle like stones in my chest, but before I can question her further, Finn’s voice pierces the stillness. “Triona!” he shouts, his tone tight with concern. His hurried footfalls grow louder behind me.

The maiden’s gaze lingers on me for a moment longer, her expression unreadable. Then, as though the mist itself swallows her, she hurries off into the haze; her form disappearing into the woods just as Finn reaches my side.

“Triona,” he says, spinning me around by the shoulders, his eyes searching mine. “What did she say? Are you all right?”

I hesitate, the weight of the encounter still pressing down on me. “She sounded like a loon… but, I can’t help but feel…” My words trail off, my eyes drifting to where the maiden stood just moments before.

“Feel what?” Finn asks, his voice soft but insistent.

I shake my head, an uneasy smile tugging at my lips. “I believe she might have been trying to get coin out of me.” The lie rolls off my tongue far too easily.

Finn’s brow furrows, concern flashing in his eyes. But I can’t bring myself to say more. Her words didn’t just unsettle me—they felt like they’d slipped past some invisible barrier and rooted themselves deep within me. And no matter how much I wanted to dismiss them, part of me knew they weren’t nonsense.

Finn does not press the matter further, seeming to be lost in thoughts of his own.

We mount our horses, the cool air biting at my cheeks as Finn swings up behind me on Shadow. His arms come around me, steadying me, and I feel the solid warmth of his chest against my back. It’s a closeness I’ve never experienced with him before. It steadies all of me. Being alone is harder than I want to admit, and I’m reliant on his touch now. It grounds me.

As we move into an easy stride, the maiden’s words play over and over in my mind, unrelenting. Her voice whispers through me.

“You are the thread that binds him to the stars.”

The weight of it fixes itself deep in my chest, heavier with every repetition. Something about those words feels undeniable—unavoidable.