The Crystal Heart remained silent.

Lyra stared at it, waiting for the strange voice to return.

Find me.

Those two words continued echoing inside her mind.

Lucien stepped closer.

"What did you hear?"

Lyra looked up.

"It said..."

She hesitated.

"Find me."

Nethros frowned.

"Who?"

"I don't know."

The Keeper walked toward them.

"Then we need to leave."

Lucien turned.

"Why?"

The Keeper looked toward the sealed sky.

"Because the First Spark shouldn't be able to speak."

Aster's expression tightened.

"What does that mean?"

"It means something has found it."

---

They left the ancient city before nightfall.

The people of the First Kingdom gathered at the gates to watch...