Kane stared at the ceiling, tracing the subtle patterns cast by city lights filtering through Cyrus's blackout curtains.
Beside him, the dragon's breathing had settled into the deep, even rhythm of sleep, but Kane's mind refused to follow suit.
The evidence board haunted him—all those scattered pieces demanding connection, begging to form something coherent.
"The Whispering Shard controls spirits," he whispered to the darkness, his voice barely audible above the distant hum of traffic below.
"The Screaming Shard amplifies power. The Mercy Fragment have healing properties"
He shifted carefully, trying not to disturb Cyrus's sprawled form.
"Three fragments, three functions. Like notes in a song." His fingers twitched against the silk sheets, unconsciously mapping connections in the air.
"The binding agent... synthetic fusion... what if someone's trying to recreate the original artifact?"
His eyes widened in the darkness as understanding crashed over him like ice water.
