Ava fled through Prague's winding streets, the _Liber Nocturna_ bound in black leather and slinging over her shoulder like a curse. Elian and Lucas flanked her, their footsteps silent on the cobblestones. Behind, the Order's agents would be rising, fueled by vengeance and holy zeal.
"We need a safe house," Lucas said, scanning rooftops for snipers. "Somewhere the Order won't think to look."
Elian nodded, leading them toward the Charles Bridge. "I know a place. Old, forgotten… protected by more than just spells."
Ava's breath came in short gasps. The _Liber_'s weight seemed to grow with every step, its pages whispering secrets only she could hear. _"Write… rewrite… consume…"_
The bridge loomed ahead, statues of saints watching like sentinels. Elian stopped at the midpoint, beneath the shadow of St. John Nepomuk. "Here."
Lucas knelt, prying up a hidden stone. A trapdoor yawned open, revealing a narrow stairwell. "Down."
Ava hesitated. The _Liber_ pulsed, urging her forward. She descended first, the air thickening with dust and age. Elian and Lucas followed, sealing the trapdoor above.
The room was a crypt, vaulted ceiling lost in darkness. A single candle flickered, casting eerie shadows on stone walls adorned with ancient symbols—protection charms, Ava realized.
"Safe," Elian said, breathing slowly. "For now."
Lucas dropped the black box onto a stone slab. "Ava, you need to understand the _Liber_'s rules. What you've bound yourself to… it's eternal."
Ava's fingers traced the _Liber_'s cover. "What does it want?"
Elian's eyes gleamed. "It wants stories. Histories. Fates to rewrite. But every edit changes _you_. The more you write, the more you lose."
Lucas leaned in. "And the Order will exploit that. They'll hunt you, break you… use the _Liber_ to destroy everything they fear."
Ava's mind reeled. She thought of Catherine, the girl she'd lost. Could the _Liber_ bring her back? At what cost?
The candle flame danced, casting shadows like skeletal fingers. "I want to try," Ava said, her voice barely audible. "I want to change something."
Elian handed her the quill. "Be careful. The _Liber_ doesn't forgive mistakes."
Ava's thoughts swirled. She remembered Catherine's smile, the sound of her laughter… the way she died. Ava wrote: _"Catherine lives again, free of pain."_
The _Liber_'s pages absorbed the words. The air shimmered. Ava felt a tug, like threads pulling from her chest.
A figure materialized—a girl with Catherine's face, but eyes that weren't quite right. She smiled, confused. "Ava?"
Ava's heart soared… then plummeted. Something was wrong. Catherine's eyes were black as coal, her touch icy.
"Catherine?" Ava whispered.
The girl leaned in, her breath cold. "I'm… different," she whispered. "You changed me."
Elian grabbed Ava's shoulder. "Ava, stop. You're—"
The _Liber_'s pages turned violently. Ava felt its hunger spike. _"More… give more…"_
Catherine's black eyes gleamed. "I'm hungry, Ava."
Ava's horror mounted. She'd brought back a monster. "What have I done?"
Lucas dragged her away. "We need to get out. The _Liber_'s feeding on her."
Elian snatched the _Liber_, closing it with a thud. "Ava, you must control it. Before—"
The crypt shook. Dust rained from the ceiling. Catherine's scream echoed, inhuman and hungry.
The _Liber_ opened itself, pages flapping. Ava saw words written in blood: _"The price is soul."_
Ava's vision blurred. She'd lost control. The _Liber_ was devouring everything.
Elian's voice was distant. "Ava, write something—anything—to stop it!"
Ava's fingers moved, quill scratching: _"The _Liber_ stops. Mercy."_
The book shuddered, pages slowing. The hunger receded, leaving Ava gasping.
Catherine stood frozen, her eyes fading back to human. "Ava… help me?"
Ava's tears fell. _What had she done?_
The crypt fell silent. Elian and Lucas exchanged a look—pity mixed with calculation.
"We need to hide," Lucas said. "The Order will sense the