The moment I held the relic, I felt it pulse like a heartbeat. Not a steady, human heartbeat, but something alive, something ancient, and almost aware. It throbbed in my palm, burning faintly, and every time I thought about it, the glow changed, growing brighter or dimmer depending on my focus.
Jax noticed first. “Sage, careful. Don’t let it control you.”
I shook my head. “I… I’m not sure I can control it yet.” My voice trembled. My wrist burned as if the silver crescent had become part of my skin. I clenched my fist and tried to calm the pain.
Zack leaned back against a shelf. “It’s like it knows what you’re feeling.”
I looked at him, blinking. “You think it’s… sentient?”
Hazel’s eyes narrowed, scanning the room with sharp focus. “Maybe. Not fully alive, but partially. It responds to
