LOGINThe crowd continued to applaud as Thea took one final bow before exiting the stage. The moment she was out of sight, Elijah grabbed my hand.“Come on,” he said, already pulling me toward the aisle. “Let’s get backstage before everyone else.”We made our way through the crowd, accepting congratulatio
AgnesEight years had passed by.The concert hall was packed to capacity, not a single empty seat in sight. My spine ached like hell from sitting on the hard wooden chair for the past two hours, and my pregnant belly made it impossible to find a comfortable position. Elijah kept rubbing his neck and
“Mom?” Thea’s voice called. “Everyone’s waiting. Are you ready?”I took one last look in the mirror, adjusted the mask slightly, and turned toward the door.“Ready,” I said, opening it to find my daughter standing there in a midnight blue dress that she had designed herself. Her own mask, shaped lik
AgnesOne year later.I stood in front of my mirror, hardly recognizing the woman staring back at me. Two years. It had been two years since I met Elijah—not counting that foggy night we conceived Thea seven years before that, a night neither of us could fully remember thanks to whatever drugs had b
Initially, I resisted. The thought of sharing my pain with a stranger when I had spent so many years being treated like a madwoman for my trauma scared the hell out of me. But Elijah was persistent, reminding me that we all carried burdens that were too heavy to bear alone.And so, twice a week, we
AgnesThe weeks following the destruction of the Lunaris Stone passed in a blur.Elemental Enterprises, of course, was immediately shut down by the authorities. Every known international law enforcement agency descended on Richard’s territory, working alongside Richard and us to document the crimes
AgnesThe Goddess Festival was in full swing by midday. Families strolled between colorful booths while children played on the lawn, running back and forth and nearly tripping some of the begrudging elders. Thea had long since abandoned us to join her friends at the face-painting station, although h
AgnesI barely slept that night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her—my baby, alone and afraid in a dark cave. I imagined her cries echoing off the stone walls, growing fainter and fainter until they stopped altogether.By the time morning arrived, my eyes were swollen and my throat was raw. But
AgnesThe rest of our vacation passed in a blur. We spent our days in the sun, splashing in the ocean and exploring the town, and our evenings were spent under the stars with nothing but each other for company.It was nice, and it was even more relaxing than I had hoped.But when we finally arrived
I’d almost forgotten about the unveiling of the survival bag.“Thank you,” I told the attendant. “I’ll be right there.”I hurried to the nearest restroom to freshen up before the presentation. After splashing some cool water on my face and adjusting my clothes, I made my way to the main stage. The c







