Chapter 194: book

Emily's fingers tightened around the worn edges of the book. She sat in silence, the dim light from Calem's lantern casting long, flickering shadows across the ancient script. The cost of destroying the relic weighed heavily on her, pressing into her chest like a stone. It wasn't just a matter of power anymore—it was a matter of sacrifice, of lives that might be lost if they chose the wrong path.

She could feel Mara and Calem's eyes on her as they returned to the small corner of the forgotten library where she sat. Neither spoke, but the tension in the air was palpable.

"Well?" Mara finally broke the silence, her voice low but sharp. "Did you find something?"

Emily hesitated for a moment, her mind racing with the implications of what she had just read. She slowly closed the book, raising her eyes to meet Mara's. "I found a way," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"A way to destroy the relic?" Calem asked, his brow furrowing in anticipation.