Mag-log inAella POVWe arrived at the Academy ready for war. Chaos came through first, Order immediately behind him, followed by Sol and me with Riot in his arms and Althea against my chest.And then Xander appeared beside us.I stared at my son as the tiny portal behind him closed. "How— Xander!"He smiled at me, completely pleased with himself. Apparently, my infant son had decided that being left somewhere safe was merely a suggestion now that he knew how to create portals.I didn't have time to deal with it.The Academy was under attack.The beautiful island we had spent weeks transforming into a home for the students was surrounded by darkness. The Sanctuary's sky had changed. The beautiful streams of magic that normally danced through the air were colliding violently with waves of black energy.Monsters were everywhere.They weren't inside the Academy. Not yet. They were attacking the space surrounding it. Mutants clawed against the barriers while creatures I had never seen before threw t
Aella POVBrothers.Order and Chaos were brothers.I stared between them as that single piece of information rearranged nearly everything I knew about both men."Brothers," I repeated.Chaos glanced at me."Yes."I pointed between him and the enormous golden statue that apparently contained his brother."That explains so much."Sol nodded beside me."An uncomfortable amount, actually."Chaos looked offended."I don't know what that's supposed to mean."The entire underground Academy trembled again before Sol could answer.The golden statue began to glow.Riot, still perched proudly on its shoulder, squealed."Riot!"Sol immediately reached for our son.This time, thankfully, Riot allowed himself to be removed.The moment Sol had him safely against his chest, the golden statue changed.It shrank.Slowly at first.The massive structure contracted as streams of golden light spiraled around it.Twenty feet.Fifteen.Ten.Five.Until there was no statue anymore.There was a man.He stepped
Aella POVApparently, we were going downstairs again.Only this time, Althea wasn't the only child determined to come with us.The moment I picked her up, she reached for Riot.Not Xander.Riot.At first, I thought she simply wanted her brother.That wasn't unusual. The three of them were almost always together.But when Sol tried to take Riot back to the nursery, Althea grabbed his little hand with both of hers and refused to let go."Althea," I said gently. "Riot can stay upstairs."She glared at me.Actually glared.Riot, completely unaware that he was apparently essential to whatever ancient mystery awaited us, laughed and tried to grab his sister's hair.Chaos crouched in front of them."Little Queen, does Riot need to come?"Althea nodded.Immediately.Sol sighed."Of course he does."He picked Riot up."I don't suppose you'd like to tell us why?"Althea stared at him.Sol stared back.Nothing."Wonderful conversation."Chaos laughed.So our strange little expedition consisted o
Aella POVI don't know how long Althea remained connected to the stone.Seconds.Minutes.Hours.Time had stopped meaning anything inside that cavern.I remained beside her the entire time, one arm around her little body while colors continued flowing across the cave walls.Then, finally...Her hands separated from the stone.I exhaled so sharply my chest hurt."Althea."I immediately reached for her.But the stone pulsed.Once.Twice.Then brighter than ever.The entire cavern filled with silver light.A portal ripped open directly above the lake."What—"Althea floated upward."Absolutely not!"I jumped after her.She disappeared through the portal.I caught her ankle at the last possible second, pulled her against my chest—And the portal swallowed me too.The world spun.Then my feet hit solid ground.I stumbled forward, clutching Althea tightly."Do not do that again."She giggled.Of course she did.Then I looked up.Everyone was there.Sol.Hunter.Marcus.Pamela.Queen Samanth
Aella POVThe door opened without a sound.Beyond it, another staircase disappeared into darkness.I adjusted Althea against my chest, half expecting Sol to suddenly appear behind me and demand an explanation for why our daughter had apparently decided to explore ancient ruins in the middle of the night.Unfortunately for him, he was probably still chasing Riot away from chandeliers."Ready, little Queen?"Althea answered by pointing downward.Of course she did.So down we went.At first, I counted the steps.A hundred.Five hundred.A thousand.Then I lost track.The air became colder the deeper we descended, but strangely, I never felt afraid. The castle's magic surrounded us like a silent guardian, lighting the walls with silver flames whenever the darkness became too thick.Hours seemed to pass.The staircase twisted and turned, spiraling beneath the Void itself.Until, finally, the tunnel opened.I stopped breathing.An enormous cavern stretched before us.The ceiling was so high
Aella POVAccording to the Bloodlines Book, my daughter possessed one of the rarest gifts ever recorded.Immediate Knowledge.The words themselves sounded harmless, almost beautiful.They weren't.The ancient records described it as the ability to know whatever the bearer wished to know.Lost histories.Forgotten languages.Hidden paths.Secrets buried beneath entire civilizations.The bearer could find books no one remembered existed and knowledge thought lost for eons.They simply... knew.The first time I had read those pages, I had felt pride.The second time, terror.Because knowledge was power, and power always painted a target on someone's back.Especially in times like these.Especially with Elias watching us.I looked down at Althea, comfortably settled in my arms as we descended the endless stone staircase beneath the Void castle.She wasn't scared.She wasn't confused.In fact, she looked mildly annoyed by how slowly I was walking.It was impossible to believe that this tin







