As genuine as the chilly air surrounding us, she stood in front of me.
Mom.
Silver-streaked hair, deep-carved lines around her eyes, and the same crescent mark, albeit twisted, glowing faintly on her wrist. Sideways branded. reversed.
A symbol of loyalty.
An indication of submission.
With his sword raised, Rowan moved ahead of me. "Please leave if you are here on the Council's behalf. Right now.
She didn't recoil. "I'm not here to help them. I'm here to support her.
I was having trouble breathing. I couldn't tell if I was scared, angry, or something else entirely.
I managed to say, "You're alive," just above a whisper. "They claimed you passed away. You gave me that impression.
She lowered her gaze. "I had to."
"No," I yelled. "You decided to."
She shuddered. "I decided to protect you."
"By working for those who are pursuing me?"
With a sour chuckle, she shook her head. I didn't go with them, darling. I contributed to their construction.
I felt sick to my stomach.
Rowan stiffened next to me. "What do you mean?"
She raised her head, her eyes brimming with an overly practiced pain. Project Moonfall served as more than just a tool for the Council. I owned it. My investigation. I failed. You weren't meant to live.
The world tilted to one side.
"You're telling lies."
"I'm not," she uttered quietly. Maris, you weren't born. You were made active. At the right lunar cycle, a series of coded traits became available. And they gave me the order to fire you when the prophecy indicated instability.
I took a step back and shook my head. "So why didn't you?"
With tears now streaming down her face, she whispered, "Because you looked at me." "And my name was said."
My knees almost buckled.
I was caught by Rowan.
I felt like screaming. Strike something. Set the entire lab on fire.
I could only stare, though.
I gritted my teeth and uttered, "You left me in the world without any answers." "You helped them make more of me while allowing me to be hunted like a monster."
She declared, "I broke away." You saw that tainted version at the Sanctuary? I attempted to murder her. I didn't succeed. Instead, they locked me here, tying me to a biometric core that prevents me from leaving.
I said, "You could have gotten in touch with me."
They would have killed Elian if I had, she claimed.
My eyes got big. "You were aware that he was still alive."
She gave a nod. "They held him here." cloned compatibility markers using his blood. He was collateral.
My fists clenched.
Rowan's grip tightened on mine.
"You must get out of here," she said hastily. "The next bride has already finished her initial bonding."
"Where?"
She paused. "I'm not sure. However, I am aware of their intentions.
I raised my head. "What?"
"Disregard the prophecy," she declared. According to the runes, only one bride can ascend. The Council, however, believes that if they link all five brides to a single Alpha bloodline—
"They'll shatter destiny," Rowan concluded. "Stop the cycle."
My mom gave a nod. "And the bond you share if they succeed?" She gestured between Rowan and me. "It will fall apart. You will lose everything.
There was a long pause.
I inhaled deeply. "So, how can we prevent them?"
She fell silent.
"You must visit the Core. the authentic one. buried beneath the Crescent Falls.
Rowan scowled. "The location that was supposedly destroyed during the first war?"
"It wasn't," she stated. "It was sealed." with the key being your ancestry.
She took a step in my direction.
and put a data crystal in my hand.
"The gate will open as a result."
Her trembling fingers touched mine. Kind.
However, her eyes became glassy just before she released her grip.
Her entire body trembled.
"No!" I yelled, catching her.
Rowan fell next to us. "What is going on?!"
Above the chamber, a flashing red light appeared.
From the ceiling came a voice.
"Protocol Override: Asset 13 has been compromised." Set up a failsafe.
"No, no, no!" I tried to infuse energy into her mark by pressing my hands against her chest. "Remain with me!"
She took hold of my wrist.
The final words I would ever hear from her were whispered.
"Although you weren't the first, you made the sole decision."
Her mark was white and flared.
Then— She broke apart in my grasp.
Dust.
Lost.
Rowan remained silent. He simply grabbed my other hand and gave it a squeeze.
Between us, the data crystal glowed.
I got up on trembling legs.
I said, "We end this."
However, the screen behind us continued to flicker.
A fresh bride returned the gaze.
Red hair. Gold eyes. A savage smile.
She stroked Elian's unconscious face and said, "I hope you're watching, Maris."
"Because tomorrow, when I draw his blood in front of the entire Council...
Her eyes gleamed.
"You'll understand what it's like to lose everything you've worked so hard for."