C27 THE WORLD-TO-WORLD FIRE

The morning broke gently over the village, coloring the sky in streaks of rose and amber. Birds sang from the treetops, and for the first time in weeks, Elara felt something stir within her chest – not fear, not bewilderment, but a peaceful warmth.

She sat alongside the riverside, still clutching the golden feather she had found the night before. Its brilliance had dimmed with the sunrise