The storm followed them for three hours.

It never grew closer.

It never fell behind.

It simply remained on the horizon.

Waiting.

Eventually, Kael brought the Starling down onto a small floating island.

There was an abandoned sky dock there.

The wooden landing platform groaned beneath the ship.

Lyra jumped down.

Kael followed.

"You can leave now."

He looked at her.

"I could."

"Good."

"I won't."

Lyra sighed.

"Of course you won't."

He walked toward the old dockmaster's hut.

Lyra followed.

Inside, dust covered everything.

Kael lit a lamp.

Lyra studied him.

"You knew my mother."

It wasn't a question.

Kael didn't answer.

"You knew her."

"Yes."

"What happened to her?"

Silence.

Lyra stepped closer.

"Tell me."

Kael looked toward the window.

"The last time I saw Seraphine, she was running."

"From whom?"

"The Crown."

Lyra frowned.

"Why?"

"Because they wanted her dead."

Her stomach tightened.

"Why?"

Kael looked at her.

"Because she discovered what the Heart Lantern really is."

Lyra felt suddenly cold.

"What is it?"

"I don't know."

"You just said she discovered it."

"I said she discovered something about it."

"Which is?"

Kael looked away.

"Something I promised never to reveal."

Lyra laughed bitterly.

"You seem to have a lot of promises."

His expression hardened.

"You have no idea."

He walked outside.

Lyra followed.

The dock was surrounded by clouds.

Far away, the lights of Aetheria shimmered like stars.

"Why did you come back?" she asked.

Kael didn't answer.

"Why now?"

He looked at the sky.

"Because the storm is here."

"And?"

"And when it comes, people die."

"That's all?"

"No."

He looked at her.

"And because I heard your mother was alive."

Lyra stopped.

"What?"

Kael looked almost as surprised as she was.

"Who told you that?"

He reached into his coat.

He pulled out a small silver pendant.

A crescent.

Exactly like the one around Lyra's neck.

Her breath caught.

"My mother had one of those."

"I know."

"Where did you get it?"

Kael held it out.

"She gave it to me."

Lyra stared.

"When?"

"The night she disappeared."

She took the pendant.

The instant their fingers touched, Lyra saw a memory.

Fire.

Screaming.

Her mother.

Kael.

A massive temple.

Seraphine pushing something into Kael's hands.

Then her mother's voice:

"Protect my daughter."

The vision ended.

Lyra stumbled backward.

Kael caught her.

For a moment, they were very close.

She could feel his hand around her arm.

He could feel her trembling.

Neither moved.

Then Lyra pulled away.

"You promised her."

"Yes."

"And you failed."

Kael's jaw tightened.

"Yes."

The honesty surprised her.

She expected an excuse.

Instead, he accepted the accusation.

Lyra looked at him.

"Then why should I trust you?"

"You shouldn't."

He walked toward the ship.

Lyra watched him.

"That's not very reassuring."

"I wasn't trying to reassure you."

He climbed aboard.

"You coming?"

"No."

Kael nodded.

"Good."

He untied the ship.

Lyra crossed her arms.

He pushed away from the dock.

Ten feet.

Twenty.

Thirty.

Then Lyra saw the storm.

It had moved.

Closer.

Much closer.

She grabbed her bag.

"Wait!"

Kael turned.

Lyra ran.

She jumped aboard.

He looked amused.

"I thought you weren't coming."

"I changed my mind."

"Naturally."

She pointed toward the storm.

"Don't make jokes."

"I'm not."

His smile disappeared.

They both watched the darkness approaching.

Inside the clouds, something enormous moved.

Kael quietly said:

"We need to reach the temple before dawn."

"Why?"

"Because after dawn..."

He looked at her.

"...the storm won't be following us anymore."

Lyra's blood ran cold.

"What will it be doing?"

Kael looked toward Aetheria.

"Going there."