The spiral stairs coiled beneath the Absconditum, stone walls gleaming with moisture. Jayna the Dreamwalker waited at the foot, holding a torch aloft.
With a clipped nod, she led Arcanus deeper into the crypts where a narrow mirror stood propped against the wall.
“They found this in the lower catacombs,” she whispered, fingers hovering before the glass, careful not to touch it.
That’s when Arcanus spotted the runes etched along the mirror’s frame. Jayna’s eyes glittered from the depths of her hood. “Want to help me decipher them?”
They worked in silence, tracing symbols and murmuring theories, gradually piecing together some of the mirror’s odd tale. When at last Jayna straightened, wincing at the pop of her spine, she reached into the folds of her cloak.
“A reward for your help,” she offered, revealing a small velvet pouch heavy with stones.