House of Sky and Breath

Bryce teleports into the Archives using Hunt’s power. Hunt stands guard as Bryce enters the door with Sofie’s sequence. Inside is a long hallway with a crystal floor, the only thing in it a set of crystal pipes going up into the ceiling. Next to each pipe is a small screen and a plaque. Each plaque bears the name of an Asteri, while the screen displays a percentage. The screen for Rigelus says “Rigelus Power Level: 67%” (750). Bryce realizes that the glowing crystal floor of the palace and the pipes are conduits for firstlight. Firstlight is what powers the Crystal Palace and the Asteri. The Asteri mandate people give them their firstlight after the Drop because they need fuel. This is why they don’t let the souls of the dead live in the afterlife. They consume their souls for energy. The Asteri might not even be stars because they require so much energy from others to exist. If the rebellion can prevent the Asteri from getting firstlight, they can destroy them.

Bryce exits the hall so she can teleport to Hunt. She notices another door, its handle gleaming, and decides to investigate. She is in the Asteri’s main archives, lined with door after door.