POV: Ravenna
We gather in Elder Mira's house that evening. Not the whole village—just those who need to know. Me, Theron, Morgana, Saren. Mira and her council. The messenger whose name I finally learn is Kira.
Maps spread across the table. Documents. Testimony records. Everything the village has collected over twenty years of tracking the Eclipse.
"We cannot simply return to Cindravale and hope for the best," Theron says. His voice is measured. Analytical. Commander-mode instead of gentle-warrior mode. "House Ashford controls too much influence. Cassian sits on the king's council. The Eclipse is still hunting Ravenna. And Thalassa waits to drag her to Aetherwyn."
"So what's the plan?" Morgana asks. "Because walking in blind gets us all killed."
"We need ALLIES," I say. Thinking it through. "People Father trusts who can vouch for us. Who can provide protection while we expose the Eclipse."
"Hadrian," Theron says immediately. "My second-in-command. He's loyal to the bone and commands respect in the military. If we can get word to him first—"
"Master Veyron," I add. "He testified at the hearing about Lucien. He knows corruption when he sees it."
"Lysander," Saren suggests. "The royal healer. He treated you after the assassination attempt. He knows something is wrong."
"Those are allies," Mira says. "But allies are not enough. You need EVIDENCE. Proof that the Eclipse exists. Proof of who leads it. Proof that connects them to specific murders." She pauses. "Without evidence, you are just making accusations that House Ashford will dismiss as paranoid conspiracy."
"We have survivor testimony," I gesture at the documents. "People who escaped Eclipse attacks. Who heard things. Who can confirm—"
"Survivor testimony is not proof," Kira interrupts gently. "It's hearsay. Circumstantial. House Ashford will argue these people are traumatized. Mistaken. Lying." She looks at me seriously. "You need DIRECT evidence. Documentation. Witnesses who participated and are willing to confess."
"The Eclipse doesn't exactly keep records," Morgana points out. "They operate in secret for a REASON."
"They keep records," Mira corrects. "We know they do. Survivor testimony mentions written orders. Lists of targets. Correspondence between leaders. They DOCUMENT their operations—probably to coordinate across kingdoms. To track successes. To plan future eliminations."
"Then we need to find those records," Theron says.
"How?" I demand. "We don't know where they keep them. We don't have access to Eclipse safe houses. We can't exactly walk up to Seris and ASK for her murder logs."
"We need someone inside," Saren says quietly. "Someone who participated. Who knows where evidence is kept. Who can provide direct testimony connecting leaders to specific killings."
Silence.
Because we all know that's IMPOSSIBLE. The Eclipse kills people who try to leave. Hunters who show mercy get eliminated. Anyone who knows too much becomes a target.
Finding someone inside the Eclipse willing to betray it is like finding a dragon who can't fly. Theoretically possible. Practically impossible.
"There might be one option," Mira says slowly. She's looking at documents. Frowning. "We have testimony from someone who escaped Eclipse custody eight years ago. A man named Kai—you've met him, the shadow manipulator who trains with Theron."
"What about him?" I ask.
"Before he escaped, he was held for three days. Interrogated. He heard things. Names. Details." Mira flips through pages. "He mentioned someone called 'The Accountant.' An Eclipse member responsible for finances and record-keeping. Someone who tracks expenditures, maintains target lists, coordinates resource allocation across kingdoms."
"Lord Thorne," I breathe. "Father's Master of Coin. That's who the messenger said was Eclipse."
"Exactly." Mira looks up. "If we could GET to Thorne. Convince him to testify. To provide records—"
"He'd never turn," Morgana interrupts. "He's been Eclipse for over a decade. Why would he betray them NOW?"
"Leverage," Theron says. His voice is cold. Calculating. "Everyone has leverage. Something they fear losing more than they fear Eclipse retaliation."
"What does Thorne fear?" I ask.
Kira answers. "He has a wife. Two daughters. Grandchildren. Family he protects fiercely." She pauses. "If the Eclipse falls, if Aldric discovers Thorne's betrayal, his entire family faces consequences. Execution for treason. Exile. Loss of everything."
"So we threaten his family?" I feel sick saying it. "We become exactly what we're fighting against?"
"No," Theron says firmly. "We offer protection. We tell him: testify against the Eclipse, provide evidence, and we guarantee his family's safety. Exile instead of execution. Lives instead of death." He meets my eyes. "We give him a way OUT. A choice between dying loyal to murderers or living in exile with his family intact."
"That might work," Mira says slowly. "If you can reach him privately. If you can make the offer before the Eclipse realizes he's compromised."
"Big IF," Morgana mutters.
"Everything about this plan is a big if," Saren points out. "But it's better than walking in with nothing."
I study the documents. Testimony from dozens of survivors. Names of suspected Eclipse members. Patterns of killings across decades. Evidence that SUGGESTS everything but PROVES nothing.
"What about Seris?" I ask. "We know she leads the Eclipse. We have circumstantial evidence. Can we use that?"
"Circumstantial evidence against a High Councilor from Air Kingdom?" Mira shakes her head. "You would need overwhelming proof. Multiple witnesses. Physical evidence. Direct testimony connecting her to specific murders." She pauses. "Accusing Seris without absolute proof could trigger diplomatic disaster. Skyreach would defend her. Air Kingdom would demand satisfaction. You could start a WAR."
"So we need proof for Seris too," I say flatly.
"Yes."
"And we need to get it from someone inside the Eclipse willing to betray decades of loyalty."
"Yes."
"And we need to do all this while House Ashford controls Father's council, Thalassa demands my extradition, and the Eclipse actively hunts me."
"Yes."
I laugh. Can't help it. Hysterical, exhausted laughter that has nothing to do with humor. "Well. That sounds completely impossible."
"It does," Theron agrees. "Which is why we start with what's POSSIBLE. We return to Cindravale. We make contact with allies. We approach Thorne carefully. We gather what evidence we can." He pauses. "And we ADAPT. Like we've been doing since this started."
"One step at a time," Morgana adds. "We've survived everything else by being stubborn and refusing to die. This is just—more of that."
"More stubborn refusal to die," Saren says. "Our specialty."
Mira watches us with ancient eyes. "You understand this might not work. That you might fail. That the Eclipse might kill you all before you can expose them."
"Yes," I say simply. "We understand."
"And you are going anyway."
"Yes."
She nods slowly. "Then you have everything the village can offer. Our evidence archive. Safe house locations across kingdoms. Supply caches. Names of allies embedded in various courts." She stands. "We have been gathering resources for twenty years, waiting for the moment when someone would finally FIGHT instead of just hiding." She looks at me. "You are that someone, Princess Ravenna. You and your companions. You survived when you should have died. You are willing to risk everything to stop the Eclipse." She pauses. "We will help you in every way possible."
"Thank you," I say. My voice is rough.
"Thank US by succeeding." Mira's expression is fierce. "End the Eclipse. Expose their leaders. Make our decades of hiding and documenting MATTER." She touches my shoulder gently. "Make all the deaths they caused COUNT for something. Give the gift-bearers who died hope that their sacrifice led to justice."
I nod. Can't speak past the lump in my throat.
We spend the next three hours planning. Routes back to Cindravale. Safe houses to use. Allies to contact. Contingency plans for when—not if, WHEN—things go wrong.
By the time we finish, I have a splitting headache and approximately zero confidence this will work.
But we're doing it anyway.
Because doing nothing guarantees the Eclipse wins. Doing SOMETHING at least gives us a chance.
And I'm done being hunted. Done hiding. Done letting fear control my choices.
Time to fight back.
Time to END the Eclipse.
Or die trying.
Preferably the first option. But I'll take what I can get.