She sat like a shadowed sentinel near the wall, tentacles curling protectively around her sides. But her eyes—those huge, telepathic, ancient eyes—were on me.
Her voice pushes into my mind.“I opened the last echo of the rift your men tore through. Their Faction bond left a scar in the veil. I pulled your family through before it closed.”
Adelaide nodded shakily. “She said that our world needed to be set right. That you needed us to do that.”
“We weren’t supposed to stay behind,” Sly spoke up quietly. “The DF halted all attacks almost immediately because of you.”
I blinked. “Me?”
Jesse’s jaw tensed. “When you escaped Aurathia—when you vanished from their control—the Dark Factions stopped attacking Earth entirely.”
John nodded grimly. “They redirected everything. Every resource. Every soldier. Every creature.”
“To hunt you,” Sly finished. “And the men you’re bonded to.”
A suffocating wave rolled through my stomach.
Chloe cursed under her breath. Zeke and Zane exchange stiff, tense glances. Oren went rigid beside them, shadows crawling across the ground like snakes. Jet’s hand twitched, hovering above the dagger at his waist. Nathan stepped behind me, palm warm between my shoulder blades.
“They’re all hunting us,” I whispered.
Adelaide cupped my face gently. “They’re terrified of you.”
I swallow hard. “Why?” I knew the answer at least partially, but didn’t want to admit it out loud.
Mira answered before anyone else could.“Because you shook the curse awake. Because you are the first heir to stand in centuries. Because your Faction is forming without Dionysus’s wine. Because the throne remembers you.”
“They know about how our Faction formed?” Oren looked horrified.
“I’m afraid they do now.” Adelaide nodded. “We’re not sure how they found out, but the council knows.”
The cavern seemed to shudder around me, and my knees weakened. Zeke caught me by the waist immediately, holding me upright with a soft, “Breathe, my Treasure.”
I looked at my parents—really looked at them—and they’re all staring back at me with this mix of terror and pride that makes my heart ache.
“I’m forever grateful that you’re alive,” Mom whispered, brushing hair out of my face. “So glad you escaped thatbitch. So happy that your men found you.”
Razor cleared his throat softly. “There is more to tell. But not all at once. Not tonight.”
Tanya nodded. “You all need rest.”
But something cold and sharp slid up my spine. A feeling I couldn’t explain, almost like a warning.
Torren.
My eyes darted around, heart stuttering.
He’s not here, and he should be.
Zeke noticed instantly. His hand tightened around my hip. “What’s wrong?”
I swallowed. “Torren. He… disappeared.”
Oren stiffened violently, eyes narrowing. “When?”
I shook my head, confused. “I-I don’t know. I didn’t see him leave. It’s only a feeling.”
Pantar’s voice rolled through us like thunder.“His thoughts are not quiet.”
