Semua Bab His Dark Covenant: Bab 21 - Bab 30

The gun was pointed at Matthew.Elena stepped between them.“Mom.”Claire's hand did not move.For the first time, Elena saw no fear in her mother's eyes.Only exhaustion.“Move aside, Elena.”“No.”Claire's gaze shifted to Adrian.“You brought him.”Adrian remained still.“You knew I'd come.”Claire's expression tightened.“I knew you would.”Matthew grabbed Elena's arm.“Stay behind me.”She pulled free.“No more.”Her voice shook, but she didn't retreat.“No more secrets. No more deciding what I deserve to know.”Claire lowered the gun slightly.“Then listen.”Elena stared at her.“I'm listening.”Claire looked at Matthew.“He was going to destroy everything.”Matthew laughed bitterly.“Everything you built.”“Everything that could destroy you.”“You mean the Covenant.”“I mean you.”Silence.Elena's heart pounded.“What does that mean?”Claire looked directly at her.“The Covenant wasn't interested in controlling you.”She paused.“It was created to protect you.”Elena frowned.“F

The countdown reached 29:41:17.Elena stared at the words.PERMANENT CUSTODIAN DESIGNATIONMARA CROSSHer sister was still strapped to the chair.Adrian stood beside Elena.Matthew was frozen near the entrance.Claire had lowered her weapon.And Victor watched them all from the shadows.Elena finally spoke.“You said the system chose Mara.”Victor nodded.“Yes.”“Then why is it asking me to choose?”His expression changed.For the first time, he looked uncertain.Mara's eyes widened.“Elena…”“What?”“Don't answer it.”Elena looked at the screens.The Covenant repeated:CHOOSE.Elena stepped toward the console.“No.”The room fell silent.She placed both hands on the desk.“I don't accept the choice.”The screens flickered.COMMAND NOT RECOGNIZED.Elena's voice hardened.“I said no.”CUSTODIAN AUTHORITY REQUIRED.“I am the Custodian.”SECONDARY CUSTODIAN REQUIRED.Mara stared at her.“Elena, stop.”“No.”She turned toward her sister.“They've been making decisions for us our entire li

The laughter came again.Soft.Childlike.Wrong.Elena's entire body went rigid.Adrian immediately raised his weapon.“Stay behind me.”Elena barely heard him.The laughter wasn't coming from the corridor.It was coming from inside the walls.Matthew stared into the darkness.“No…”Claire grabbed his arm.“What is it?”Matthew didn't answer.His face had lost all color.Then the emergency lights returned.A single red bulb flickered above them.The projector was still running.But the image had changed.There was no longer a photograph.There was a video.A little girl sat alone in a white room.She couldn't have been more than six years old.Elena stared.The girl looked familiar.Too familiar.Mara stepped closer.“That's me.”Elena looked at her.Mara shook her head.“No. I remember that room.”On the screen, the little girl slowly turned toward the camera.Her lips moved.The recording played her voice.“Where is my sister?”Elena's breath caught.Mara stared at the screen.“I di

“Hello, daughter.”Elena stopped breathing.The voice came through the speakers again, calm and impossibly familiar.Not because she had heard it recently.Because some buried part of her remembered it.A lullaby.A hand against her forehead.A man's voice whispering that everything would be all right.She had been too young to remember his face.But she remembered the voice.“Who are you?” she whispered.Static answered.Then the voice returned.“You already know.”The screen displayed the photograph again.Claire holding newborn Elena.The unidentified man beside her.The face scratched away.Elena stared at the photograph.“Dad?”Matthew didn't answer.Her eyes moved toward him.“Is it him?”Matthew's silence was devastating.“Dad.”He finally looked up.“No.”Elena's chest tightened.“Then who?”Matthew swallowed.“I don't know.”A soft laugh came through the speakers.“You've always been a terrible liar, Matthew.”Matthew went rigid.Claire covered her mouth.Elena turned toward

The floor split open.Elena barely had time to grab the child before the entire chamber lurched sideways.BOOM.A shockwave tore through the room.Machines toppled.Glass shattered.Emergency lights burst overhead.Adrian caught Elena around the waist as the floor tilted beneath them.“Hold on!”The little girl clung to Elena's neck.Below them, something enormous moved in the darkness.Not machinery.Something alive.Elena stared into the opening.Two pale lights appeared far below.Eyes.Her blood turned cold.The old voice returned through the speakers.“Come closer, Elena.”She tightened her grip on the child.“No.”The lights disappeared.Then the voice laughed.“You sound exactly like your mother.”Claire froze.“You remember her?”“I remember everything.”Matthew stepped toward the opening.“Father!”Silence.Then:“Matthew.”Matthew's face twisted.“You're alive.”“Obviously.”“You've been down here all this time?”“Waiting.”“For what?”The answer came immediately.“For my bl