"So," Des said as we crossed the threshold, "anyone else getting 'this is where we all die horribly' vibes, or is that just me?"
"Just you," Pearl said, but her voice was tight.
The third chamber was nothing like the others.
Where the first trial had been all stone and darkness and pain, and the second had been endless shelves and golden light, this room was... warm. Intimate. The kind of space that made you want to curl up with a book and never leave.
Firelight shone from dozens of sources. Candles, braziers, a massive hearth carved into the far wall. The flames cast dancing shadows across walls that seemed to be made of mirrors. Or maybe they were windows. It was hard to tell. Every surface reflected something, but the reflections didn't quite match reality.
In one mirror, I saw myself as a child, holding my mother's hand.
In another, I saw Malachi wearing a crown.
In a third, I saw Pearl laughing at something I couldn't hear, her pink hair bright in the light.
