Songlight BY Moira Buffini

The protagonist, a frail seventeen-year-old, leaves her home for the last time under the guise of a simple shopping trip. Dressed in an ill-fitting coat and burdened by the weight of a secret, she exchanges brief words with her weary stepmother before stepping into the fresh air, not to go to the market but to escape. She connects telepathically with Cassandra, a nurse who once saved her life and awakened her to her true identity as a "Torch"—a being with supernatural abilities. Cassandra, whom she adores, guides her towards freedom, away from a life of hiding and fear.

As the protagonist approaches the tram station, the imposing presence of an Inquisitor looms, heightening her anxiety. Yet, the sight of Cassandra fills her with warmth and determination. Her heart swells with hope as she envisions a future by Cassandra's side, away from the oppressive life she's known. But just as she's ready to embrace her new path, she notices a figure flickering beside Cassandra—a man, another Torch who has been captured and coerced into hunting his own kind. The moment of potential freedom is shattered by this ominous presence, threatening to unravel everything she’s risked.