Lucian’s POVMama smelled like home. It was the first thing I noticed when she held us.Warm. Familiar. Safe.For a moment, everything else disappeared — the strange place, the guards outside, the quiet that didn’t feel right. I buried my face into her shoulder and just breathed her in, holding onto her like if I let go, she might disappear again.“I missed you,” I mumbled.Her arms tightened around me and Artemis both.“I missed you more.”Artemis sniffled beside me, clinging to her just as tightly, but I didn’t say anything. I just stayed there, listening to Mama’s heartbeat, steady and strong, like it always was.But even then—I could feel it. The shadow. It wasn’t like before. It didn’t whisper loudly or push at me. It just… lingered.Quiet. Watching. Waiting.I had learned how to hide it. After everything that happened… after the war, after the council, after the things I saw — I didn’t like letting it out anymore.It wasn’t just power. It felt like something alive. And I didn’t
Read more