bChapter /bb77 /b

I’m pulled back, hard and suddenb, /binto another memory.

starsb. /b

!!

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iThe /istone ichamber /iunder ithe /iipackhouse/i. iThe /iiancient /iidoor/i. iMarcus/i. iSalira/ii. /iiFelix/i. iA /icircle of ichildren/ii, /iismall /iiand /iiterrified/ii, /iitheir /ieyes iglowing /ilike caged

Marcus’s voice iechoes/i, isharp /iand ifinal/ii: /ii“/iiI /iijust /ibineed /i/bione /iimore /iichild /ibto /bitether /iithe /ibispell /i/bbto/b. iTo /igive me the control iI /iineed/ib./b”

iThen /iihe /iiturns/ii. /iHe looks iat /imei. /i

b“/bbiYou /i/biwere /iimade /iifor /imore ithan /iithis /iiworld/ii. /iiAnd /iiI /iiwill /iimake /iiyou /iiinto /iiwhat /iithe /iiworld /iineeds/ii./ib” /b

I bsee /bit now, clearer than ever. I wasn’t just a weapon. I was a ritual shaped like a girl. A walking seal. A ticking spell meant to split the world wide open so Marcus could rebuild it in his own image. The final break of my mindes with my scream. My back arches, my body bowing against itself, and then my magic erupts. Notshing outwardb, /brising. A tower of ck–gold light, blindingb, /bconsuming. My wings brip /bfree, hidden all this timeb, /bunfurling in fire–rimmed shadow. The force shakes the room. The floor splits. Everyone shields their eyes, but no one dares move. And thenes the separation. Layah peels out of me, molten fur and flesh solidifying beside me. She stands, towering, her presence a mirror of mine.

About ifucking /iitime/ib,/bb” /bshe murmurs in my head, stretching long, dangerous limbs.

“Holy shit,” I whisper aloudb, /breaching out to run my hand through her hot, living fur.

bi“/i/biLook /iiwho /iijust /iiunlocked /iiher /iiGoddess/ii–/iigiven /iipowers/ibi./i/b” Her smirk is pure satisfaction.

I fall into Noah’s armsb, /bshaking, my throat raw, my skin burning like I’ve been seared from the inside out. The room bis /bin ruins.

Xavier drops to his knees beside me, his voice rough. “What did he want from youb?/bb” /b

I look at all of them, my chest heaving. “Everything. My blood. My magicb. /bMy soul.”

Noah’s arms tighten around me. “To do what?”

I drop my beyes /bto the cracked floor. “To remake the world through me. Just like Zion warned. He means to tear down the veil between realmsb. /bHe wants to open the floodgates band /bhold the breins/bb./bb” /b

Layah curls against meb, /bmolten warmth at my bside/bb. /bThe others don’t look bat /bher with fear but something closer to awe.

bXavier /bdrags a hand over his bface/bb. /b“We’ve been bpreparing /bfor warb,/b” he mutters. But this… bthis /bis beyond war.b” /b

Haiden’s voice is low, sharp. “A god in chains. And Marcus wants to break the lock.”

I force the words past bthe /blump bin /bmy throat. “Not just meb. /bThere were children. Othersb. /bI bsaw /bthemb./bb” /b

Noah’s head snaps toward me. “Childrenb?/bb” /b

“In the chamberb,/bb” /bI say. “They were part of it. I bwas /bthe focal point, but he needed another soul to tether the spell. If they’re alive…”

Levi’s face darkens, his voice iron. “If they’re alive, we’ll find them before anyone else does.”

Layah lifts her head, golden eyes burning. “Marcus iwould’ve /iicloaked /ithem the way ihe /icloaked you. You won’t itrack /ithem by ordinary means.”

I nod, meeting her gaze. “Then we’ll need help.”

Levi straightens, his tone calm but weighted, “Already arrangedb./b”

The room stills. Everyone looks bat /bhim.

I reached out to Envy’s brothers. They know what bwe’ve /blearned. They want us toe to them.b” /b

Xavier’s jaw hardens. “Come where?”

Do you like this storyb? /b

bADD /bbTO /bLIBRARY

1:02 PM bP /b

Levi’s answernds like a stone. “To their mother.b” /b

The breath catches in my chest. “b…/bElira?”

He nods once. “She’s been informed. She believes she can helpb./b”

The silence that follows is heavy, thick. Layah’s golden gaze shifts back to me

steady, unflinching.

bLater/bb, /bas we prepare for the portal, I stand on the balcony of the Red Moon packhouse, Layah curled at my feet, the others inside gathering supplies.

Layah lifts her head. “You ishouldn’t /ibe iafraid/ii, /iiyou /iknow.”

I crouch beside her, burying my fingers in her thick fur. “Do you think she’ll recognize meb?/b”

“She’ll ifeel /iiyou/ii,/ii” /iLayah says. i“/iiSame /iblood. iSame /istorm. Of icourse/ii, /iishe’ll /irecognize iyou/ibi./i/bi” /i

I swallow hard.

Noah finds me first. He doesn’t speak right awayb, /bjust steps in close and rests his forehead against mine. His hands find my hips, grounding me

ike he always does. He brushes his lips across my temple. b“/bI’ll love every version bof /byou. Even the broken ones.b” /b

I pull back just enough to look at him. b“/bI’m not brokenb./bb” /b

His mouth quirks. b“/bDamn right you’re not.”

We smile, just for a breath. Then he steps aside, and Haiden moves in. He doesn’t touch me at first. Just studies me like I’m something sacred. Like he’s trying to memorize me before everything changes. His gaze flicks to Layah at my side, separate from me now, molten eyes sharp and alive.

“Gods,” he muttersb, /bbreathless. “You two. That’s… incredible. I didn’t even think it was possible. Talen is losing his mind.” bHe /bchuckles.

Layah tilts her head, amused. She prowls a half–step closer and deliberately flicks her molten tail along his leg, slow, teasing. Haiden’s mouth parts in surprise, then bhe /bhuffs augh. “Oh yeah,b” /bhe saysb, /bshaking his head. “He’s definitely going to love you.”

b“/bYou’ll ihave /ito earn iit/ibi,/i/bbi” /i/bLayah replies, her voice like warm fire in all our heads.

Haiden grins, then turns back to me, brushing ba /bknuckle down my cheek. “I’ve never bseen /banything like what you did,” he says softly. “And I’ve walked through actual hell, but you…” bHe /bleans closer, eyes still locked bon /bmineb. /b“You’re the bfirst /bthing that’s ever made me believe the old prophecies were wrong. That maybe gods weren’t meant to bbe /bfeared.”

“I’m not a godb,/bb” /bI whisper.

“You’re something more dangerousb,/b” he breplies/bb. /b“My Queenb./bb” /b

“Queens.” Layah corrects.

bHe /bpresses his lips to my bforehead/bb, /bgentle, reverent. “We follow you. Whateveres next.”

When he steps back, Xavier’s already waiting. bHe /bdoesn’t ask permission. bHe /bjust pulls me into his chest and holds me there, tight enough bI /bcan bfeel /bthe edge of his fear, then bhe /bkisses me.

It’s not soft. It’s not careful. It’s a imb, /ba promiseb, /band a prayer all bwrapped /bin heat. When he pulls away, the air feels charged. Levi lingersst, his sharp eyes taking in me and Layah both, like he’s cataloguing us, testing the boundaries of what this meansb. /b“You’re going to change the world, doll,” he murmurs. “And I’m going to be right here with you.”

The others bare /bwatching now, ready. bLayah /bpads to my sideb, /bmolten gaze steady.

iWe’re /iready,i” /ishe says.

nod, straightening my spine, the bache /bof change still burning in me but tempered with strength. “Then let’s go meet the woman who started all

this.

Do