The Crown Of Ash and Silver
Seraphina followed silently, her cloak whispering behind her.
The vault was small and dimly lit, the air thick with incense. Shelves of glass relics glowed faintly with inner light. At the center stood a stone pedestal, and upon it, a crystal sphere no larger than her hand. Silver mist swirled within it, slow and hypnotic.
“The reliquary,” Elias murmured. “The Church believes it’s alive.”
Seraphina approached slowly. The air around it was freezing, biting at her skin. Her mark burned in response, sharp and eager.