Her mother’s long black curls spilled over her face, hiding it. Audrey was grateful for that small mercy. If she saw Sophia’s eyes, whatever was left of her mind might crack apart completely.
Sirens screamed beyond the alley. It was the only thing that sounded normal.
She had killed her mother.
The second parent she’d watched die. And now, there was no one left to go home to.
Unable to stop herself, Audrey repeated the instant her mother fell. She’d tried to stop the knife, but her lack of control made that impossible. As the shock deepened, so did her jitteriness. It seemed like her bones were vibrating. While Sophia had never been particularly nurturing, she was all Audrey had left. How could she still hunger for comfort from the hands that tried to kill her? And yet, a darker urge had overtaken her desperation for her mother’s love. Guilt pushed in, stark and accusing: she’d wanted her mother to suffer, and now she had the power to make it happen. Worse, some part of her enjoyed it, like she was already becoming the beast they all claimed her to be.
The longer she stared at the ground, the more her guilt changed into fear. Audrey wasn’t just afraid of what her mother had tried to do—she was afraid of herself. Was she doomedto become monstrous, or had she always been? The taste of loneliness emptied her out. Her longing for forgiveness, for someone to see her as more than a weapon, conflicted with the new, unwelcome knowledge that she was beyond redemption.
Mihail’s footsteps interrupted her train of thought. Audrey thought he might check the body. Instead, he lifted his hand.
Flame flowed from his palm, draping Sophia’s body in blue fire. In seconds, there was nothing but light, noise, and blistering heat. Audrey retreated, instinctively shielding her face.
The air torched her lungs.
It was over as fast as it began.
Where her mother had been was nothing but a blackened outline and ash.
Mihail crossed the space between them with the same inhuman speed that made her human senses recoil. His hand grasped around her arm, dragging her up and back. The world smeared, sound stretching thin. She fought him, her arms thrashing, her throat tearing with a shout.
She looked over her shoulder for help, for Emerson’s massive shape, for anyone.
But there was nothing. Emerson was gone, which scared her almost as much as Sophia’s body on the ground. Was he dragged away by Nikos during the chaos or devoured by the fire? Worry flared to life in her aura. Emerson had saved her earlier, his presence unexpectedly protective when she had needed it most. He was supposed to be just another pawn in her game, but somewhere in the struggle, he’d become her partner against the rest of the world—evidence that even accidental loyalty could matter. While they barely knew each other, Audrey still held herself responsible for his fate. Besides that, the answers might change what she fought for next.
“You’re coming with me,” Mihail said. “Ryker will want to see this.” The possibility of rescue and escape fell away. As he prepared to put her in a different kind of cage, it struck Audrey with increasing certainty that she might be the reason they kept building them.
His fingers pressed into the tendon of her neck. A needle pushed into her skin before she could twist away. Cold traveled through her arm.
Everything merged into bands of light.
The last thing Audrey saw was the swirl of her mother’s ashes rising into the sky.
17
Arough jolt dragged her from unconsciousness. The smell of rotting food and sour booze hit her nose. Someone breathed near her ear. Traffic blared beyond the darkness—honking, tires hissing on damp asphalt.
Audrey tried to scream, but her throat worked soundlessly.
Memories of her killing her mother crashed down on top of her.
Her eyes flew open. When her sight cleared, she took in the surroundings: behind another building, near the dumpsters. They were still somewhere in the warehouse district.
Mihail grasped her by the shoulders, hauling her upright and then pressing her back against the brick wall. He pressed his hand over her mouth to keep her silent.
It didn’t matter. She’d known freedom, and what he wanted promised only another cage. So, she fought despite being completely overpowered. As Mihail’s hold tightened, Audrey sensed his intentions on instinct. His endgame was bigger than revenge or cruelty—he wanted her to power some larger plan, and whatever he intended would demand everything she was.
His other hand swept over her in a rough, cursory search. He didn’t linger, only checked for injuries, cataloging the damage. His energy was frantic, his aura crackling against hers.
Blinking hard, she focused past his shoulder. They were wedged in a recessed doorway halfway down a narrow alley, brick coated with grime. Neon from the street painted everything pallid green and pink. The city roared—sirens far off, a bottle breaking, a laugh too loud—but no one looked down here.
“Let go of me,” she rasped.
“Not a chance,” Mihail shot back, his tone flat.
“What’s wrong? Scared of me?” Her lips turned into a sneer.
