Things That Only Exist in the Dark

Vela's world, where every place only exists in the dark and keeps its own hours.

What is this world?

This is Vela’s world. Every place in it is a place that only exists in the dark: a forest, a sea, a snowy mountain, a crooked old house, a garden behind a wall.

When can you get there?

Each place keeps its own hours, the way a shop does. The forest is only open from one to two in the night. The Night Sea is open from three to four. When a far-off clock chimes, the place closes, and Vela goes home.

In Vela’s world, time is the door.

Why is the light kept low?

Vela carries a lantern with a piece of a star inside. When it shines too bright, the places that only exist in the dark start to fade, like a drawing being rubbed out.

So the light is always kept low. Turning it down is often how Vela finds what is hidden: the true star, the safe path through the rocks, the glow of a dragon’s egg in the snow.