The bone cathedral expanded infinitely in all directions. Kael stood at its center, pillars rising and falling. Archways opened onto voids that gave way to depths his mind couldn’t process. The walls themselves seemed to pulse with meaning, every surface inscribed with patterns that hurt to look at directly. Ilara’s hand in his was the only constant, thee only anchor to what they’d been before crossing this threshold. “I don’t understand what I’m seeing,” she whispered. “You’re seeing memory given form,” Tharos replied. The god’s voice came from everywhere, pressing against his thoughts. “Our consciousness doesn’t experience reality the way mortal minds do. What you perceive as space and structure is a metaphor. Translation. My attempt to speak in terms you can comprehend.” The presence coalesced. “You asked what I want,” Tharos said. “What I’m planning. What happens if you help me wake. These are good quest

Kael woke to screaming. His own, he realized dimly. His throat was raw, his voice hoarse. He was still strapped to the chair in the interface chamber, but now the restraints were the only thing keeping him from thrashing violently. “—neural activity spiking—” “—administering resonance suppressant—” “—both subjects showing extreme distress—” Voices overlapped, men and women in the gray coats and emblem of the imperial physicians crowded around. Sereen’s face appeared in his field of vision, her expression betrayed concern . “Kael. Can you hear me?” He tried to respond but he couldn't form words. His body felt wrong, too heavy and too light simultaneously, as if his consciousness had expanded beyond his skin and was still trying to contract back into proper boundaries. “Give him another dose,” Sereen ordered. “And the female—is she stabilizing?” “Her heart rate is dropping. Neural patterns returning to baseline. But the readings are… strange.” Kael turned his head— a m