The vision faded, leaving Kaelen's heart pounding. He took a step back from the Heart of Ash, but the guardian's voice stopped him.
"You cannot face the Ember Warden alone. But there is one who can guide you… if you dare trust them."
Kaelen's brow furrowed. "Who?"
The guardian's lips tightened. "A smuggler who has crossed the Ash Veil and lived to tell of it. They call her Mireya the Shade. She trades in forbidden paths, selling maps no one should own."
"And where do I find her?"
A faint smile ghosted across the guardian's face. "She'll find you."
Before Kaelen could ask more, the guardian placed a shard of obsidian into his palm. It was cold, but a strange pulse throbbed inside it, like a heartbeat. "This will draw her to you… but beware. Mireya's loyalty is bought, not earned."
Later that night, Kaelen camped near the river that curved like a silver snake through the forest. The moon hid behind thin clouds, and the only sound was the whisper of water over stone.
Then—footsteps. Soft. Deliberate.
From the shadows, a figure emerged, her cloak the color of midnight. A mask hid the lower half of her face, and in her gloved hand she held a rolled parchment.
"You're holding something that belongs to me," she said, her voice smooth, but with a dangerous undertone.
Kaelen's fingers tightened around the obsidian shard. "I was told you could lead me to the Ember Warden."
Mireya tilted her head, studying him as if weighing his worth—and his coin.
"I could," she said at last. "But my map comes at a price… and I don't mean gold."