It all must stem from the Great Sadness, she thought. That’s when everything changed. She should have been more judicious in her use of the circlet. She should have tried to see if she could go back all those centuries and read the High Priestess’s memory from that dark time. She recalled the story of Wyllin and the forming of this tether. Elorin had wondered about its truth just as Leela did. Who knew if the High Priestess had chosen Wyllin for some dark purpose the way she had chosen Sera?

When at last the High Priestess declared the day of prayer and meditation over, the congregation rose and whispers filled the room alongside utterings of fear. Leela saw Koreen being comforted by Daina and Atana—she wanted to say something reassuring to her old friends, but the words stuck in her throat. This City had reached a breaking point—Leela could not allow another Cerulean to be imprisoned beneath it.

A leap of faith, the will-o-the-wisp had said. There was only one leap Leela could make and the thought sent waves of terror rippling down her spine.

Sera survived, she reminded herself. But the thought did not comfort her.

“What happened last night?” Elorin appeared at Leela’s elbow, her voice barely a whisper. Leela glanced around and beckoned for her to follow. They went deep into the Moon Gardens where no one would hear them and Leela told her everything.

“But . . . are you saying . . . did she just siphon our magic?” She looked down at her hands as if expecting to see magic leaking out of them.

“I believe so,” Leela said gravely. “But she must not take enough to be noticed. We still have healing power. We can still blood bond.”

“But we should be able to do more than that,” Elorin said. “I can read the doors now, and Kandra saw Sera’s name on the obelisk.” She frowned. “But neither of us have eaten the fruit. So how were we able to?”

“Perhaps it is because you two know about the lies,” Leela said. “There is a strength of will in our minds and hearts, not just in our magic. Your eyes are opened. So you are seeing things you never imagined possible.”

Elorin nodded solemnly, but Leela was not finished. She took a deep breath and told Elorin about the dream.

By the end of the tale, Elorin’s mouth was hanging open. “Leela,” she whispered. “That was Moth—”

“Now we know where all the moonstone has gone,” Leela said quickly, because admitting she’d spoken with Mother Sun still felt altogether too overwhelming. “The High Priestess may have bent her circlet to her will, but now I have moonstone too.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the cuff. Elorin marveled at it.