Then Brax's voice drops into something rough and lethal. "And that's not the worst of it."
Zara squeezes Sean's arm as if anchoring herself.
Brax's eyes meet mine, and I don't like what I see. There's anger mixed with fear.
I demand, "What is it?"
He steps closer. "It involves you."
My insides twist, then tremble. I barely get out, "How?"
"They plan on turning you into a breeding machine."
"Excuse me?" I blurt out.
Sean clears his throat. "It's true. They plan on extracting your eggs every month until you're 40. The strongest babies go to Underworld members of their choice. The weakest get sold on the black market."
Blood drains from my face to my toes. I gape at them, horrified. Then a cold rush drenches my limbs, crawling up my spine with icy fingers. I force words out. "No."
Brax adds, "They mapped out your cycles. They projected how many embryos they can pull per round. Their goal is six to twelve per cycle."
I open my mouth and shake my head, holding River tighter to me.
Fiona's hand flies to her mouth.
Kirill's expression detonates into something monstrous.
Sean continues, "They created pairing lists. Gestational assignments with surrogates. They plan to distribute your children like cattle."
A sharp ringing fills my ears. The world narrows. My knees go weak for a split second, but Brax's arm curls around my waist instantly, steadying me before I sway.
Brax finishes quietly. "At 40, they eliminate you. And that's why we're taking the Underworld out."
The ringing intensifies. My lungs struggle to expand, as if invisible hands are tightening around my ribs.
I stare at my husband, who would burn the entire secret society for me. And guilt eats me raw.
He fought for my seat with me. He watched me bleed for it. He married me for it. And now that same seat has turned into a cage designed to drain me until I'm no longer useful.
A wave of revulsion slams into me, hollow and electric, running through every nerve. "After everything I sacrificed, they want to use my body like I'm an incubator? They want my children? They want—" My words splinter. A sharp cracking sensation opens in my chest and spreads fast.
Brax tugs me closer, pressing his forehead to mine, voice frayed at the edges. "It's not happening. Do you hear me? Not a single hand is going to touch you."
River shifts against our chests. I hold him tighter, grounding myself through his small warmth.
Fiona blurts out, "This is sick. Why Valentina?"
Zara answers, "I assume they want a bloodline they can control and weaponize. She's pure Italian. Her DNA has Marino and Abruzzo in it."
"They're deranged," Kirill says, his jaw clenched so tightly his muscles twitch. "They've lost their humanity."
Zara asks, "Did they ever have humanity?"
The question hangs in the air, fueling my shock and horror.
The conversation erupts into a chaotic volley of questions and curses, strategy and disbelief.
Kirill demands, "Who authorized these files?"
