Night wind crept through the old window gap.
The small chamber felt narrower now.
Lyra stood beside the desk, while Kael remained near his chair. Between them lay only one object that truly mattered.
That black book.
Several seconds passed without words.
Lyra did not press.
She seemed patient enough to wait for Kael's decision.
Finally Kael spoke softly,
"If closing it were that easy... you wouldn't have come here."
Lyra smiled slightly.
"True."
She leaned casually against the desk.
"Artifacts like this rarely choose someone randomly."
Her eyes looked at the book again.
"Besides, the decision was likely made when you touched it."
Kael did not answer.
He merely extended his hand.
His fingers touched the book's cover.
The black leather surface felt cold.
But this time there was something different.
A faint sensation, like small vibrations moving beneath his skin.
As if the book recognized his touch.
Lyra observed carefully.
She did not stop Kael.
Nor did she approach.
As if there were a boundary she did not wish to cross.
Kael opened the book.
The first page was still empty.
The second page empty.
The third page—
ink began to appear again.
Slowly.
Letters formed like water flowing into certain patterns.
Lyra unconsciously held her breath.
The first writing emerged.
"You return."
Kael read in silence.
The second sentence appeared right below it.
"That means you choose to know."
Lyra whispered softly,
"Don't answer."
But Kael said nothing.
He merely read.
The ink kept moving.
"Every page is a price."
Several seconds passed.
The next sentence emerged.
"Do you still wish to read?"
The room became very silent.
Lyra finally spoke.
"Artifacts like that often bait curiosity."
Her tone was more serious now.
"And curiosity is the fastest way to lose yourself."
Kael stared at that page.
He remembered something Lyra had just said.
The price of knowledge.
He finally asked,
"If I stop now?"
Lyra answered without hesitation.
"Perhaps nothing will happen."
She shrugged.
"Or perhaps the process will only slow down."
Kael looked at the book again.
"And if I continue?"
Lyra did not answer immediately.
Several seconds later she said,
"You will begin seeing things others cannot see."
She pointed to the symbol on Kael's wrist.
"And the more you see... the harder it will be for you to return."
Kael considered this.
But his eyes remained on the book page.
The ink moved again.
As if the book did not care about their conversation.
A new sentence emerged.
"You need not fear."
Lyra immediately said,
"That is a lie."
Kael raised an eyebrow slightly.
Lyra stared at the book with a cold expression.
"Old artifacts always say that."
The ink kept moving.
"Fear belongs only to those who do not see."
Kael almost smiled thinly.
Lyra sighed.
"I hate artifacts that like to talk."
Kael closed the book.
A quick movement.
Lyra looked at him.
"You stop?"
Kael did not answer immediately.
He looked at the symbol on his wrist.
The small cracks looked slightly clearer now.
"For tonight."
Lyra seemed slightly relieved.
"That is a sensible decision."
But before their conversation could continue—
a loud sound suddenly came from outside the building.
Someone crashed into the apartment's main door.
Old wood creaked loudly.
Lyra immediately turned toward Kael's chamber door.
Her expression changed.
Not afraid.
But clearly wary.
Heavy footsteps were heard climbing the stairs.
One person.
No.
Two people.
No.
More than that.
Kael walked to the window and peeked down at the street below.
Three men stood in front of the building.
They wore long black coats.
One of them wore a white porcelain mask.
The same person from earlier tonight.
Lyra muttered softly.
"Damn."
Kael turned toward her.
"You know him?"
Lyra answered with a tone far more serious than before.
"Yes."
She looked toward the door.
The footsteps on the stairs drew closer.
Lyra looked at Kael.
"If they came for that book..."
she paused for a moment.
"...then tonight will become far worse than you imagine."
Right at that moment—
the apartment's main door was struck hard.
Old wood cracked.
The masked man's voice was heard from the corridor.
Calm.
Almost polite.
"Kael Ardent."
He knocked on the chamber door softly.
Three times.
"Pardon the interruption."
Several seconds of silence.
Then he said,
"But we wish to speak about the book you found."