Nucleus 1: The Dust of Moon [Mature Sci-fi Romance]

14:36, Day 579, Year 58133

Parivartan Ghas (परिवर्तन घास), Twisting Meadows, The Twilight Expanse, Shashan

Pain ripped through Lorna's abdomen, hot and sharp, unlike anything she'd experienced in her years of combat. Her knees buckled, but before she could fall, she felt Xin's arm around her waist and Kathrin's delicate tentacles supporting her shoulders through the fabric of her trench coat. Her skin flared with pulses of arctic blue along her collar bones, each wave of light matching the rhythm of her labor pains before dissolving into ivory.

"Hold the line!" Vyomendri's voice carried across the violet meadow as he rallied the remaining Rakshasa creatures near the organic spire behind them.

Bone Fiends and Skuggrs crashed against their defensive formation, a tide of twisted bone and shadow.

"Farið fram, mínir þrælar. Farðu áfram! [Go forth, my minions. Go forth!]" Skarn's voice boomed from the distance.

Vyom intoned, a violet energy bubble forming around them as he raised both clawed hands towards the sky. "Indra Kavacha!"

Another contraction seized her, and Lorna bit back a scream. Through tear-blurred vision, she saw Tanha half-carrying, half-dragging Emmanuel toward the Space Rover. His white combat armor was still smoking from the Skuggrs' acid, but his chest rose and fell steadily.

"We'll get through this," Xin's voice was steady beside her ear, grounding her as another wave of pain threatened to overwhelm her senses. "We will." he assured again.

Above them, the forms of four particularly large Weavers hovered, carrying between their strong limbs the Alliance Space Rover. their bee-like bodies thrumming with power as they maintained a protective formation. Their massive wings stirred the violet grass beneath, creating ripples that spread outward like waves on a purple sea. Lorna assumed these were fully grown, but she was too weak to say anything.

"The child comes quickly," Kathrin's British accent carried notes of concern. "We must get you into the vehicle now."

Lorna tried to respond, but another contraction hit – stronger this time, stealing her breath.

She could feel it now, the movement inside her, alien and insistent. The reality of what was happening crashed over her like ice water. The thought sent a fresh wave of terror through her that had nothing to do with the physical pain.

The Space Rover loomed before them, its familiar white contours a promise of safety. But even as they approached, Lorna could hear the sounds of battle intensifying behind them – the roars of Bone Fiends, the acidic hiss of Skuggrs, the screeching of Jalraks and Trishuls.

And beneath it all, the deep, resonant laughter of Skarn himself. "Weep, Sigrún, weep! For your fate is bound to me."

"Do not listen to him," Kathrin's voice was firm as she helped guide Lorna toward the vehicle's passenger side. "Focus on your breathing. The rest will follow."

Lorna nodded weakly, letting them help her forward. Each step was a battle against the pain that threatened to tear her apart from the inside. But she was a fighter – had been all her life. She wouldn't break. Not here. Not now.

Inside the Rover, Kathrin settled Lorna into the passenger seat gently. Her serpentine form moved with fluidity in the confined space as she reclined the seat back, while Xin slid behind the wheel.

"Drive towards the southern edge. The wormhole there can transport you back to Sol. To Osram." Kathrin directed while turning to Xin.

"Leave it to me!" Xin's tone was resolute, but his gaze held traces of concern as his eyes met with Lorna's briefly. "Pawan, help Lorna."

Pawan the drone darted in through the driver's side window, immediately positioning itself near the ceiling and bathing Lorna in its mint green healing beam.

Lorna gritted her teeth, watching through half-lidded eyes as Kathrin's alabaster tentacles moved to carefully unfasten her belt and unbutton her pants, sliding them down along with her red underwear.

"What...what are you doing?" Lorna gasped, a mix of embarrassment and fear coloring her voice.

"I need to examine you properly," Kathrin said. "The birth is progressing faster than a human one would."

The realization hit her like a physical blow. She was about to give birth to Skarn's child, to a Radi-Mon. The very creatures she'd been fighting against for the past 11 years.

"What if...it kills me?" She choked out, her hand reaching for something. The flesh of her forearms shimmered with flashes of crystalline blue, like lightning beneath her skin, each pulse growing more erratic with her mounting fear.

"Without becoming a Radi-Mon yourself, it's not impossible." Kathrin replied, her tentacles moving. "But you've survived what would kill countless others prior. You're stronger than you believe."

Extending a spare hand, Xin's fingers interlaced with hers, squeezing tightly. "We'll get through this. Together."

Lorna nodded through clenched teeth, trying to focus on breathing even as another contraction wracked her body. She caught a glimpse of Xin averting his eyes respectfully, his other olive hand white-knuckled on the steering wheel.

"Good. The child is positioned correctly," Kathrin's tentacles moved over Lorna's belly and thighs, the cool touch oddly comforting against her fever-hot skin. "Coming through your birth canal – any second now."

The mentioning of 'any second now' made Lorna shudder. Pawan's healing beam intensified, as if sensing her distress, the warm energy taking the edge off her pain.

"Your body knows what to do, even if your mind doesn't yet." Kathrin murmured, her tentacles arranging a makeshift covering over Lorna's legs.

The contraction hit like a thunderbolt, drawing a strangled cry from Lorna's throat. Kathrin's tentacles weaved together to form a protective cocoon around her lower body, providing privacy. The cocoon's translucent membrane pulsed with bioluminescence.

"Push now," Kathrin urged, her voice steady despite the chaos outside. "The child comes."

Lorna bore down, moaning and feeling an exploding pain behind her eyes. She was dimly aware of Pawan adjusting its position, its healing beam still holding. Through the haze of pain, she felt something shift, then a sudden release. Her skin blazed with waves of cerulean light that rippled from her shoulders down her arms with her final push.

"The potion, Xin. Give it to me," came Kathrin's voice again, this time more urgent.

"Over here!" Xin's voice came. From her angle, Lorna could not see him.

"Careful!" Kathrin's warning came sharp and fast. A flash of brown and white scales launched itself at her tentacles with ferocity. The newborn reptilian, no larger than a house cat but all coiled muscle and primal instinct, snapped with needle-sharp teeth.

Swiftly, Kathrin held the vial of mauve liquid, her tentacles restraining the thrashing lizard.

"Be still, little one. This won't hurt…" she murmured, pouring the potion over the creature's writhing form. The effect was immediate – its savage, intense movements melted away like frost in sunlight.

For the first time, Lorna got a clear look at her child. About eight inches from snout to tail, with brown-white scales that caught the light like nacre. But it was the eyes that held her – deep sapphire blue, startlingly intelligent, and so familiar it made her heart ache.

They were her own eyes, set in the face of a reptilian being that somehow managed to be achingly beautiful.

"A male Diabolisk. Healthier than those bred by Fenris or Tiamat," Kathrin observed softly, cradling the now-calm infant. "Strong lungs, lustrous scales, excellent muscle tone. And those eyes..." She trailed off, something like wonder in her voice.

The baby made a small chirping sound, its gaze fixed on Lorna. In that moment, despite everything – despite Skarn, despite the horrifying memory of that day in Taiwan, the circumstances of this child's conception – Lorna felt something shift inside her, profound and irreversible.

This was her son.

"Good. Your canal's healing already." Kathrin murmured as she helped Lorna back into her clothes, her tentacles moving with motherly efficiency. She paused, head tilting as if listening to something only she could hear. "But you have questions, do you not, Sigrún?"

Lorna stiffened, her hands instinctively tightening on the armrest. Few people knew that name, fewer still its connection to her. Bands of cobalt light flickered across her wrists and disappeared. She could only assume that Xin had told Kathrin. "Will I ever...be normal again?"

"Eventually." Kathrin's eyes softened with understanding. "Rest often. Avoid anything spicy, but eat well."

"I wish I could go back in time." Lorna admitted, a bitter taste in her mouth.

"You're Harald Omdal's daughter." Kathrin quipped as she placed one palm on Lorna's lap. "If anyone in the universe could know that spell, it just might be you."

"Pa helped me escape…" Lorna admitted, watching as Kathrin carefully transferred the baby toward her. "Now I don't know what to tell him. If we ever meet again."

"He will understand." The Sūkṛmuc replied.

"Do you believe that?"

"As firmly as Shashan orbits Chandrak."

Lorna swallowed hard and looked to the side as Xin met her gaze, his hands on the wheel. Managing a bitter smile, he nodded.

"Here," Kathrin guided Lorna's arms into position, her tentacles arranging mother and child with care. "The first hours are crucial for reptilian offspring. He needs to imprint on you properly – scent, touch, heartbeat. Everything."

"Like…this?" Lorna adjusted her hold, surprised by how natural it felt. The baby chirped, his scaled body radiating unexpected warmth against her hands.

"Perfect," Kathrin nodded, then glanced at Xin. "Come closer now. He should know both of his protectors."

Xin hesitated, his hands hovering over the steering wheel. "I don't want to intrude — "

"You won't," Lorna found herself saying, her voice softer than intended.

He turned in his seat, and something in his expression made her heart skip. The way he looked at them – not with disgust or fear at the baby's reptilian features, but with a sort of wondering tenderness that made her throat tight.

"See how his eyes track movement?" Kathrin observed as Xin carefully reached out. The baby Diabolisk's sapphire gaze fixed on his approaching hand with laser focus. "Remarkable spatial awareness for a newborn —"

The baby suddenly lunged forward, but instead of biting, he pressed his snout against Xin's right hand, making a trilling sound that seemed impossibly gentle compared to his earlier ferocity.

"Saying hello?" Xin's voice held a note of amazement as he caressed the Radi-Mon's small back.

"He's accepting you." Kathrin's smile carried knowing warmth. "My potion's tempered Skarn's influence."

The baby chirped again as he turned, this time nuzzling against Lorna's collarbone before stretching his tail to maintain contact with Xin's hand. Creating a bridge between them.

"So a Diabolisk…can be so small." Lorna whispered, running a finger along his ridge of scales. Her son responded by pressing closer, as if trying to merge their heartbeats.

"He knows who his real family is," Kathrin said, her voice holding something like reverence. Her gaze moved meaningfully between Lorna and Xin. "Remember that, when the hard days come."

Lorna nodded, tears pricking at her eyes as her body began to relax.

But the tender moment shattered as bestial roars erupted from ahead. Through the windshield, Lorna spotted them – a pack of Bone Fiends and Skuggrs emerging from the violet foliage, their twisted forms blocking the path to the wormhole.

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"I must go. Shashan is my home, and I will defend it with my people." Kathrin's voice hardened as she moved toward the door.

"Kathrin, wait — " Lorna started, but the Radi-Mon woman cut her off with a gentle touch of her tentacle.

"Should you need to reach us in the future." Her pitch-black eyes darted between Lorna and Xin as she addressed them both. "Initiate the Akashic Call."

"The Akashic Call?" Xin asked from the driver's seat.

"An astral channel Primarch Moro created to foster understanding. All psionic beings welcome." Kathrin said, the words cryptic.

"But how?" Lorna managed.

"Soon, one of you will learn." The Sūkṛmuc replied as her gaze scanned over Lorna, Xin and the baby Diabolisk they held. "You will. You must."

Before Lorna could respond, Kathrin was already outside, her serpentine form rippling with deadly grace as she faced down the approaching Fenris Radi-Mons outside. The Skuggrs acidic bile sprayed through the air, but the Elder Sūkṛmuc moved like water, her tentacles weaving complex patterns that deflected their attacks.

"The windows are closed. How did she manage that?" Lorna whispered as the baby reptile tensed in her arms, sensing the danger surrounding them.

"Hang tight! We're speeding up!" Xin's voice was steel as his hands gripped the steering wheel. The Rover's engine roared to life, speeding past Kathrin and their enemies.

The vehicle lurched forward, picking up speed. Through the windshield, Lorna watched a few Bone Fiends scrambling to intercept them, their canine-like forms illuminated by the small sun's distant glow.

"Gauss Machine Gun, powering up." Xin intoned as his left hand moved to the control panel, pressing the buttons there like keys on a piano. As he did, the humming of the Rover's weapon became audible from above them.

"You remember that." Lorna commented as she instinctively curled her figners around her son, shielding him.

"Everything you've taught me, I will." Xin replied firmly as he looked to the Fenris Radi-Mons with defiance, no longer afraid.

Outside, as cobalt blue projectiles flew and landed on their foes one by one, the Skuggrs backed off, leaving the Bone Fiends now threatening to circle the Space Rover.

And Xin didn't slow down. If anything, the Rover accelerated.

The impact sent shockwaves through the cabin as they plowed through the two Fiends that dared stand in their way, bone and twisted flesh crunching under the Rover's reinforced frame.

Lorna's son made a sharp, startled sound, but didn't cry out – instead, he pressed closer to Lorna's chest, his sapphire eyes fixed on the chaos beyond the windows with unnerving intelligence.

The Rover took a sharp right, climbing a steep slope toward a violet portal's rippling mouth. Three regular Weavers, each about the size of a German shepherd, hovered above it, their iridescent wings oddly beautiful as they bobbed their heads approvingly at the approaching vehicle.

"That's the wormhole Kathrin mentioned." Xin's quickening breath was palpable, but Lorna could tell from his determined expression as he drove. He was becoming calmer, stronger. Someone she could depend on.

"Ready?" She said, her eyes fixed on his slender but straightened form.

"Yeah, the wormhole looks newly built." He replied, his voice deeper now. "I'll drive slowly to ensure quantum field compatibility."

"Quantum what?" She felt her heart beating erratically at the uncertainty.

"Remember when you told me to 'stay below twenty kilometers per hour'back in Taipei?" He turned his head, meeting her gaze as the Rover slowed to a gentle pace. "Same thing here. We drive at a speed that keeps the wormhole stable as it connects to the other side."

"I remember." She clutched her son closer, her body still aching but her mind razor-sharp as she watched the battle unfold through the rear window.

Behind them, the Rakshasa forces had rallied to Kathrin, a handful of Jalraks and Trishuls surrounding their mistress, their violet forms a stark contrast against the meadow as they engaged the dark brown creatures of the Fenris Horde.

But then she saw him. The brown exoskeleton of Skarn's massive form cutting through the defensive line like a nightmare given flesh, his five tentacles whipping through the air as he charged straight for Kathrin.

"You presume to hide my spawn from me?" The Primarch's voice boomed.

The sight of him made their son chirp anxiously, burrowing deeper into Lorna's embrace.

"Come here if you dare!" Kathrin's voice carried across the battlefield as she wove between Skarn's strikes, her alabaster serpentine form a blur of motion.

But Lorna could see she was losing ground. Each dodge brought her closer to exhaustion while Skarn seemed to never tire, his attacks becoming faster.

Around them, all the other Rakshasa creatures fell one by one, leaving Kathrin alone to face the Fenris Primarch, plus the dozen of Skuggrs and Bone Fiends that now circled her —

"She's buying us time," Xin's voice was tight with understanding as he guided the Rover higher. The wormhole's energy began to distort the air around them, reality bending at the edges of Lorna's vision.

A sickening crack echoed across the meadow as one of Skarn's clawed hands caught Kathrin's flank, sending her sprawling. But instead of retreating, she rose up, her slender but powerful form suddenly luminous with power as she raised her human hands and intoned. "Om Tare — TUTTARE PHAT!"

The ancient Devavāṇī words triggered something profound. Green light erupted from Kathrin's body, coalescing into a massive translucent barrier that separated her from Skarn, her form silhouetted against the violet sky, tentacles spread wide as she held the line against the encroaching darkness. Through it, Lorna could see the massive Draug rearing back, the claws on his muscular hands morphing into terrible blades as he prepared to strike.

But the wormhole swallowed them before she could see the outcome. Reality twisted, the violet meadows of Shashan dissolving into streams of impossible color. A tear rolled down Lorna's cheek as she held her son.

"Thank you," she whispered into the void, the words carrying the weight of a promise. "I'll…I'll make sure it means something."

Her son chirped softly, as if in agreement, his sapphire eyes reflecting the swirling energies beyond the windows as they hurtled through space and time, leaving Shashan — Kathrin — and everything Rakshasa, behind.

Moments after, the wormhole settled into a steady rhythm of swirling light, giving them a moment to breathe.

"Okay. Auto-pilot mode, engaged." Xin's hand moved over the control panel and turned to Lorna, pulling out a Medi-Vap cylinder from his pocket.

The familiar sight of the medical device made her muscles relax slightly, anticipating relief.

"Here, let me." Xin reached for the tiny lizard with careful hands. The baby Radi-Mon chirped curiously but allowed himself to be scooped up, settling on Xin's lap. His sapphire eyes watched the Medi-Vap with keen interest as Xin placed it near Lorna's lips.

"Okay. Breathe in slowly for me," he instructed, his voice gentle.

Lorna inhaled the vaporized medication, feeling its cooling effect spread through her body, dulling the lingering pain and exhaustion. Xin's free hand found hers, squeezing lightly.

"You'll love Ghana, Tanha," From the backseat, Emmanuel's voice drifted up, heavy with sleep: "...Kumasi...warm springs, yeah…sunsets over Accra." He shifted, mumbling something. "My grandma's cooking is the best. Steaming Waakye. Mmhmm."

Lorna couldn't help but smile, catching Xin's equally amused expression. From Xin's lap, her son trilled softly, almost like a laugh, making both of them look down in surprise.

"Already developing a sense of humor," Xin said softly as he put the Medi-Vap back in his puffer jacket. "He'll be great."

The Medi-Vap's effects spread through Lorna's body, but the relief only made space for deeper fears to surface. She watched Xin cradle her son, adjusting his hold so the baby could see both of them, his touch so gentle with this strange, fierce creature that was half her, half Skarn — Sven. The sight made her throat tight with something between hope and terror. She had always wondered if any sliver of Sven's soul still remained in the Fenris Primarch.

"Xin…you don't have to," she found herself saying, her voice rough. "This...this isn't what you signed up for."

Xin looked up from where he'd been studying the baby Radi-Mon's curious movements. "What do you mean?"

"He's Sven's. Skarn's." The words felt like glass in her mouth. "He's part of what we're fighting against. I wouldn't blame you if —"

"Now, now. Stop." Xin's voice was quiet but firm. He shifted closer, her son chirping softly between them. "Look at him, Lorna. Really look."

She did. At the delicate scales, the intelligent eyes that were somehow her own. At the way he relaxed in Xin's hand with complete trust.

Xin reached into his jacket, movements careful. "Let's try something."

"Something?" She replied in confusion. Pawan still hovered near her, but its healing beam had ceased as she felt her strength coming back.

He withdrew something wrapped in pale silk – the Moondust Crystal shard that Vyom had given them. "A small experiment."

As he placed it between them, their Radi-Mon immediately stretched toward it, squeaking with fascination.

"Whoa, whoa. Relax," Xin cautioned, though his voice held more amusement than worry as the baby made playful nipping motions at the wrapped crystal.

The shard's bluish light pulsed gently, now eeriely in sync with the glow emanating from the Pendant of Mánagrát on Lorna's neck.

"Is he drawn to it?" Lorna observed, watching as her son's sapphire eyes tracked the crystal's every shimmer.

"Not sure. Or maybe he has a curious soul just like us." Xin said softly. Something in his tone made her look up. The way he was watching her and the Diabolisk – it made her heart ache.

"He needs a name," Lorna murmured, watching as their son continued his fascinated gestures with the crystal's light while Xin slowly lowered his hand. "Something that honors where he comes from, but also..." She trailed off, unsure how to express what she wanted.

"Speaks to who he can become, right?" Xin finished for her as he rested the back of his hand on a small smooth surface, letting the Radi-Mon sit in his palm. "Can you tell me about Nordling names? From when you were Sigrún?"

"Well," she began, shifting slightly to better face him while reaching out, keeping one hand near their son, who had settled between them, "traditional names often had meaning. Power. Like 'Bjørn' for bear, or 'Ulf' for wolf."

"Strong names," Xin nodded, then smiled as the baby chirped, as if offering his opinion. "Anything specific to your family?"

Lorna was quiet for a moment. "My grandfather was Harald, like my father. And his father before him was Håkon." She traced a finger along her son's ridge of scales, earning a content trill. "Håkon means 'chosen son'."

"HAW-kawn. Håkon," Xin repeated carefully, testing the weight of it.

The little Diabolisk's head turned at the sound, sapphire eyes bright with interest.

"I think he likes it." Xin said.

"Håkon," Lorna whispered, and felt something settle in her chest, right and true. "My chosen son."

She looked up at Xin, finding his warm gaze already on her. "Our chosen son."

In the ethereal light of the wormhole, time seemed to slow. Håkon chirped softly between them, his scales catching the combined glow of the crystal shard and Lorna's pendant. The moment felt fragile, precious.

Lorna met Xin's eyes, finding in them something she couldn't put into words. Something deeper than mere defiance against Skarn's twisted plans. Against whatever the indifferent universe had thrown their way.

She moved first, or maybe he did – afterwards, she would never be quite sure. The initial contact was hesitant, uncertain; Xin's inexperience showed in the tentative way his lips brushed hers. But there was something endearing about his carefulness, about how his free hand came up to support her neck when he noticed her slight tremor of exhaustion.

Lorna smiled against his mouth, recalling her past with numerous lovers as she guided him gently. Her fingers traced along his jaw, showing him how to tilt his head just so, deepening the kiss with a tenderness that surprised even her.

Between them, Håkon chirped and squirmed, crawling up agilely until he found the perfect spot, curled against both their chests where their warmth mingled.

The kiss evolved without words as their eyes fluttered shut. When Lorna swayed slightly, still weak from the birth, Xin's arm slipped around her waist, steadying her. When his breathing hitched with uncertainty, her thumb stroked his cheek, reassuring.

When their lips parted, Lorna rested her forehead against Xin's, their breath mingling in the space between them, both chuckling.

"Is this what, your first kiss?" She quipped.

"Well…with a human, yeah." He sighed in mock frustration. "Thanks for being patient with me."

"You're welcome." She said.

Håkon made a satisfied trilling sound, as if approving of how his parents had finally figured things out.

The peaceful moment shattered as a ring tone crackled through the Rover's comm system. Håkon startled at the sudden noise, pressing closer to Lorna's chest with a defensive chirp.

"I'll get it," Xin answered, one hand moving to the controls while the other remained protectively near Håkon. "Hello?"

"Dios mío! Anyone there? Lorna? Manny? Xin?" Diego's voice carried notes of both relief and tension. "Been trying to reach you for—"

"We're right here!" Xin beamed at the comm panel. "Uh, video feed's malfunctioning, but…yeah, Lorna and Emmanuel are with me."

Lorna leaned toward the speaker, maintaining composure despite feeling drained. "Everything alright, Diego?"

"So relieved you're safe! Good news - the Director's got Thomas back!" A flurry of keystrokes echoed through the transmission as the Novian pilot's voice continued. "The Crystal's in Imperium hands, though. Did your — expedition — yield anything?"

"A few things, yeah," Lorna touched the pendant hanging on her neck, relishing its comforting heat. She noticed Håkon's blue eyes riveted to the blue jewel in it as she added, "We…'recovered' two fragments...shards…"

"You don't sound too good, amiga." Diego asked with concern. "Should I have Nikki check you over?"

"How long 'til we get out of this wormhole, Xin?" Lorna asked, watching his grip tighten on the steering controls.

"Three minutes until we reach the other side," Xin turned to the control panel as he reported. "Hey, does Doctor Nikki know…Diabolisk physiology?"

"Excuse me?" Diego's voice was laced with confusion.

"We've got a baby Diabolisk with us. He'll behave." Xin added, his jaw clenching.

Håkon chirped once, nodding at the speaker.

"Well, the Doc's researched those bad boys for years…might know something?" Diego replied. "A baby Diabolisk, though? How did you even…"

"Long story." Lorna said with a bitter smile. "Tell you guys over a drink sometime?"

"¡Claro! A drink it is." Diego's response was instant. "I'll let Nikki know."

"Thanks, amigo." Lorna added as her hand rested on Håkon's back to soothe him.

"Tracking your position - coming through Door Valkyris, correct?" Diego confirmed. "Coast is clear of Imperium presence. My StarWhale's standing by."

"Got it. We'll stay on this frequency." Xin nodded, stealing a concerned glance at Lorna as the call ended.

Smiling in relief, she looked down at Håkon, who had begun making soft, inquiring sounds. How much more complicated could this get?

Outside the Rover's windows, reality continued to twist and bend, the gravity well's walls covered by violet bioluminescent creeps no longer frightening.

"The same gravity well that we fell through." Xin commented as he pursed his lips. "How long do you think we've spent on Shashan?"

"Don't know. A few days?" Lorna shrugged as she eyed Håkon who tilted his head. "Feels like months."

"I'd gladly spend months with you on any moon." He added.

"Flatterer." She chuckled.

"Just being honest." He chuckled along.

"Look there, Håkon," Lorna murmured, gently turning his attention to the crystal shard still nestled in its silk wrapping. "Moondust Crystal."

"Moondust Crystal," Xin echoed softly, his hand joining hers to guide their son. "Like Mama's necklace. Shiny, isn't it?"

Swiftly, Håkon crawled down and stretched, pressing his snout against the crystal shard one more time. Its light pulsed in harmony with Lorna's pendant, casting them all in a brilliant blue glow that seemed to promise something greater.

The future was uncertain, but it was theirs to shape. Together.