The next day, Eirene came looking for him.
Lucien noticed her expression before she even spoke.
She was smiling.
Eirene tilted her head.
"I have good news."
That made Lucien smile.
Without another word, she lifted a hand and placed three crystal fragments onto the table between them.
Lucien froze.
Origin Core fragments.
For a heartbeat, he simply stared at them.
Then he looked up at her again.
Eirene remained composed.
"The Lunarians preserved them from the Millennia War," she said. "They decided to give them to you."
Lucien looked back at the fragments.
Three more.
He did not ask what exactly she had said to the Lunarians to make them hand over such things. He knew Eirene well enough by now to understand that if she wanted to explain, she would.
So instead he smiled and said, "Thank you, sister Eirene. Please also thank the Lunarian friends for me."
She gave a small nod.
Lucien picked up one of the fragments and felt the pulse in it.
