The mist thickens around her ankles. The Labyrinth shifts once again. Nadia steadies her breath as the world settles into shape around her. The violet fog, the stone-ringed glade, the air weighted with something unspeakably old. Shino stands in her usual place, hands folded before her, eyes reflecting starlight. It’s much of the same, yet somehow Nadia can feel the difference.
"You said I was ready," Nadia says, taking a cautious step forward. "But who? Is it…Keiko?"
Shino’s expression is unreadable. "She’s many things. I couldn’t say who you’ll meet this time."
Nadia’s brows furrow. "Then who is she? The one I’ll see? If not my Keiko, then which Keiko?"
