LOGINTen years after Kieran's death.Mira is fourteen. The twins are ten. Kiera is nine.Life is finally peaceful. Finally stable.Until tonight.Mira doesn't come home from school."She's probably at a friend's house," Damon says.But I feel it through the bond. Something wrong. Something terrible.We search everywhere. The whole palace. The grounds. The city.Nothing. She's gone.Then a note appears on my pillow. Written in handwriting I recognize.Caius's handwriting.*"She has my eyes. Did you really think I died in that fortress? Did you really think it was over? I'm taking back what's mine. Starting with my daughter. You have 24 hours to bring me the crown. Or you'll never see her again. And this time, I won't be merciful."*My blood turns to ice.Caius is alive. And he has Mira."That's impossible," Damon says. "We watched him die. The bond broke. He's dead.""Read the note."He does. Goes pale."He's alive. How is he alive?""I don't know. But he has our daughter."I look at the no
The witch appears at midnight.Not a visit. A warning."Something is coming," she says. Standing in our bedroom. Uninvited as always."What now?" I'm tired. So tired of threats. Of danger. Of everything."The Moon Goddess sent me. She has a message.""Can't she deliver her own messages?""Not this one. This one requires preparation. Understanding. Time."Damon sits up. "What message?""The bonds are evolving. Changing. Becoming something new. Something dangerous. Something necessary.""We only have one bond left. How can it evolve?""Because three mates died. Their magic didn't disappear. It absorbed. Concentrated. Made what remains stronger. Unstable. Powerful.""Unstable how?""Your bond with Damon is ten times stronger than normal. It's growing. Changing him. Changing you. Soon it will reach critical mass.""What happens then?""It could explode. Kill you both. Destroy everything within miles. Or it could transform. Become something unprecedented. Something the world has never seen
Mira is nine. The twins are five. Kiera is four.Life is different now. Quieter without Kieran. Emptier without his laughter.But we survive."Mama, Adrian ate my breakfast again!" Lyanna complains."Did not!""Did too! You always steal my food!""Because you eat too slow!"Breakfast with four children is chaos. Always chaos."Both of you stop fighting or nobody gets pancakes tomorrow," I warn.They quiet immediately. Pancakes are sacred in this house. Kieran's legacy.Mira helps Kiera with her food. Patient. Gentle. Like a little mother.She grew up too fast. Forced to be mature. Responsible. Protective."Thank you for helping your sister," I tell her.She shrugs. "Someone has to. You and Dad are always busy."The guilt hits hard. She's right. Running a kingdom leaves little time for being present."I'm sorry, baby. I'll try to do better.""It's fine. I understand."But she shouldn't have to understand. She should just be a kid.After breakfast Damon takes the kids to lessons. I have
I stare at the positive test.Pregnant. Again.But that's impossible. Kieran is dead. Caius is dead. There's only Damon left.How can I be pregnant?"Sage?" Damon walks in. Sees my face. "What's wrong?"I hand him the test.He stares. "You're pregnant.""Apparently.""How? We've been careful. We haven't..."He's right. We've been so focused on grieving, on healing, on surviving that intimacy hasn't happened in weeks."Maybe the test is wrong.""Or maybe it's right. Maybe this happened before everything. Before Kieran died. Before the fortress."That was over a month ago. Long enough. Possible."So I'm carrying a baby conceived when all three of you were alive.""Whose is it?""I don't know. Does it matter?""To the kingdom it will. To the council. To everyone who questions our legitimacy.""I don't care what they think.""You should. They just tried to remove us. A mystery pregnancy gives them ammunition."He's right. But I can't think about politics right now.I'm pregnant. With a ba
One week after I return from the dead.The council calls an emergency session. Mandatory attendance."They're going to try to remove you," Damon warns. "Officially. Legally.""Let them try."We walk into the chamber together. Every seat filled. Every noble watching.Lord Brennan stands. "Queen Sage. We're pleased to see you alive. However, your return creates complications.""Complications?""You broke a sacred mate bond. Killed Lord Caius through bond severance. That's unprecedented. Illegal. Grounds for removal.""Caius poisoned me. Kidnapped my children. Killed Kieran. I defended my family.""You murdered your mate. That violates every law we have.""He wasn't my mate. He was a traitor. A poisoner. A kidnapper. I did what was necessary.""The law doesn't recognize necessity as justification for bond breaking. You're unfit to rule. We demand you step down.""No.""This isn't a request. We have the votes. Majority council support. You're removed effective immediately."Damon stands.
I wake up to white.Everything is white. Bright. Wrong."Am I dead?""Not yet." The witch's voice. "Though you tried very hard to be."I sit up slowly. My body aches but works. Shouldn't work. Should be crushed under stones."What happened?""I saved you. Against my better judgment.""Why?""Because your story isn't finished. The Moon Goddess has plans for you still.""I don't want plans. I want my children. Where are they?""Safe. Home. With Damon. You've been unconscious for three days."Three days. They think I'm dead."I need to go back.""You can't. Not yet. Your body is broken. Repairing it takes time.""I don't have time. My children need me.""Your children are fine. You need to heal first."I try to stand. Fall immediately. My legs don't work right."The fortress collapsed on you. Crushed half your bones. It's a miracle you're breathing.""Then how am I alive?""Magic. Old magic. The kind that costs. You'll owe a debt when this is done.""I don't care about debts. Fix me so I
I'm terrified. Not the "maybe this is a bad idea" kind of terrified. The "I might actually die tonight" kind. They're preparing the room. Candles everywhere. Guards posted outside. The healer gave me something to drink that tastes like dirt and makes my head fuzzy. I'm sitting on the bed weari
I wake up coughing blood.Not a lot. Just enough to stain my pillow red.Damon's at my side immediately. "Sage? What's wrong?""I don't know." My chest hurts. Everything hurts. "I can't breathe right.""Get the healer," he snaps at someone. "Now!"The room spins. I can feel them through the bond. A
The attack comes at midnight.I'm half asleep, warm between all three of them, when the bond screams danger.All four of us jolt awake at once."Something's wrong," Damon says.Glass shatters. The window explodes inward.Men pour through. Dressed in black. Faces covered. Weapons drawn.Eight of the
I don't see any of them for two days after the kiss.Damon's buried in King duties. Caius is drinking himself stupid. Kieran won't even look at me.The bond is screaming. Hurt from all three directions. Anger. Jealousy. Confusion.I'm going insane.On the third morning, there's a knock.All three o







