The heavy Star-Iron gate creaked inward, pushing back ten years of accumulated frost.
A wave of warm herbal steam billowed into the cold corridor, carrying the scent of dried sweet clover and wild ginseng.
Beyond the outer threshold stood the inner sanctum doors, carved from solid white spirit-jade.
Unlike the outer gate, these inner doors bore no lethal blood-crow traps.
Instead, a circular indentation the size of a tea saucer sat in the center of the jade seam, carved with the constellation of the Star-Fall Sea.
Mina stepped past the outer threshold, her hand trembling as she reached toward the white jade.
“The seal requires Mother’s personal crest,” Mina whispered, her eyes wide with mounting worry. “The inquisitors took her tokens when they dragged her away.”
“She didn’t leave her crest with the inquisitors,” Kaelen said in a calm, gentle tone.
