FAZER LOGINSELENA’S POVThe shadow's words echoed through the chamber.My daughter.Hope's fingers tightened around mine.She stared at the enormous figure behind Ian, her silver eyes reflecting the red symbols burning across the walls."She called me her daughter."I pulled Hope closer."Don't listen to her."The shadow slowly lowered its head.Its face was mine, but its eyes were completely white."You still hide the truth from her."I raised my sword."Stay away from my daughter."The creature smiled."You think being her mother gives you the right to keep her?"The stone beneath my feet cracked.A wave of darkness rushed across the floor.I pushed Hope behind me and struck the ground with my sword.Silver light burst from the blade and stopped the darkness before it reached us.Ian remained suspended above the floor.His body was surrounded by black smoke."Ian!"His head turned toward me.For one second, his eyes returned to their normal color."Selena..."I stepped forward."Fight it."His
SELENA’S POVThe chamber disappeared into darkness.I could hear Hope breathing beside me, fast and frightened, while Ian's hand found mine in the darkness. His fingers closed around mine so tightly that I could feel the tension running through his body.Then the woman spoke again."I have waited a very long time for you."A pale light appeared beneath her feet.It spread slowly across the stone floor until her face became visible.She looked older than the woman wearing the crown, but there was something strangely familiar about her. Her silver hair fell over a long white dress, and her eyes carried the same strange light that lived inside Hope.I pulled Hope closer."You said you created us."The woman looked at me."I created what your blood became."Ian stepped forward."That's not an answer."Her eyes moved toward him."You always were impatient."Ian froze.She smiled."You were the easiest one to shape."His face hardened."What did you do to me?"The woman raised her hand.The
SELENA’S POVMy own face stared back at me from the darkness behind Ian.For one terrifying moment, I could not breathe.The shadow slowly stepped into the silver light, revealing my eyes, my hair, and even the small scar beneath my left eye. Everything was exactly the same, except for the black veins crawling across her neck.Hope struggled against the older version of herself."Mom," she whispered, "that's not you."The woman wearing the crown smiled."Of course it is."Ian forced himself to stand.His silver eyes remained fixed on the shadow."Selena, don't look at it."I tore my gaze away.The shadow laughed softly."Still protecting her, even now."Ian's fists tightened."Who are you?"The shadow ignored him.She looked directly at me."You have spent all this time believing darkness was something that entered your life."She stepped closer."But darkness never entered you."My fingers curled around the hilt of my sword."What do you want?""Nothing."Her smile disappeared."I wa
SELENA’S POVThe sword in the older Hope’s hand caught the faint silver light in the chamber.Blood dripped from its edge.I stared at her face, unable to move.She looked exactly like my daughter, yet everything about her felt wrong. Her silver eyes were cold, her black crown seemed to sink into her dark hair, and the smile on her lips carried none of the warmth I knew.Ian stepped in front of me."Stay behind me."Older Hope raised the sword."You still protect her."Her voice sounded like Hope's, but deeper.Ian's jaw tightened."You're not my daughter."A strange smile crossed her face."Neither am I yours."Hope gasped beside me.I turned toward my daughter.Her eyes were fixed on the older version of herself."She's lying," Hope whispered.The older Hope laughed."Am I?"She took one step forward.Hope immediately stepped backward.I reached for her hand."Don't look at her.""But she's me.""I know.""No, Mom."Hope's fingers trembled inside mine."She's what I become."The old
SELENA’S POVThe voice faded, but the last words remained in the chamber.Bring me the child.Hope's fingers tightened around mine.I pulled her behind me while Ian stepped forward, his body blocking the opening of the ancient gate. The black mark on his neck had begun to glow beneath his skin, spreading in thin lines toward his jaw."Ian."He glanced at me."I’m fine."A sharp crack came from the gate.Stone split across the ancient doorway, and a cold wind rushed through the chamber. The torches along the walls went out one after another until only Hope's silver light remained.Kael pushed himself against the wall, one hand pressed against his wound."Whatever is behind that gate," he whispered, "it knows Hope is here."Hope stared into the darkness.Her silver eyes suddenly widened."Mom."I turned toward her."What did you see?"She swallowed hard."Us."The gate shook again.Hope grabbed my arm."We're standing in the same place, but you're not holding me."A strange pressure fil
POV: SELENAThe chamber went silent.Hope's finger remained pointed at the First Shadow Queen.“You did.”Her silver eyes shifted toward the Shadow King.“And you didn't do it alone.”I slowly turned toward him.The Shadow King stood near the ancient gate, his sword hanging loosely at his side.For the first time, he looked at a loss for words.Ian stared at his father.“What did she mean?”The Shadow King didn't answer.Ian stepped toward him.“Father.”Still nothing.The black mark on Hope's palm pulsed.A memory flashed through my mind.A newborn Hope.My younger self crying.The Queen standing beside her.And a man entering the room.I couldn't see his face.But I knew the voice.“Give me the child.”My eyes widened.“You were there.”The Shadow King finally looked at me.“Yes.”Ian's jaw tightened.“You helped them take Hope?”“I didn't know what they intended to do.”Hope shook her head.“You knew.”Everyone looked at her.She pressed a hand against her chest.“I remember.”Her







