Her snarl twisted into something uncertain, something almost afraid.


    "What is that?" she snarled.


    My mother didn''t look at her.


    She didn''t look at me, either.


    Her


    gaze was still fixed beyond us, sorrow softening her features as if she were watching something already lost.


    The wards red again as Felicity lunged, tearing through anotheryer. I cried out as the feedback mmed into me, magic roaring through my veins as I fought to hold the barrier together.


    Somewhere below, I could hear Nn''s voice. He was shouting orders, growling in rage. He was trying to fight his way to me, I could feel his anger and fear through the bond.


    But he wouldn''t make it in time, not if something didn''t change.


    I reached deep into myself, reached for the magic the way ric had taught me to. I just needed to hold on a little longer. I had to keep her at bay.


    The goddess answered my desperation instantly.


    Power flooded me, brilliant and blinding, wrapping around the wards in a zing cocoon. The staircase shook as the force of it drove Felicity back a step.


    But I could feel the cost.


    This wasn''t sustainable. This level of power was going to rip me apart. My limits were already being tested. I wouldn''t be able to keep this up for long. I wouldn''t be able to hold Felicity at bay, not without more help.


    I felt weak. I was fighting for the people that matter most in the world to me, but I was stilling up short. How could I be so pathetic? My boys were just yards away, behind a door that was protected by concrete and the same wards that had just failed.


    Felicity would be able to break them. She would be able to get to the boys if someone didn''t stop her. If I didn''t stop her.


    "Ellie," my mother whispered atst.


    Her voice was so gentle it nearly broke me.


    I turned to her, tears streaming unchecked. "Tell me what to do," I begged. "Please."


    She finally met my eyes.


    There was no fear in her expression.


    Only sorrow-and eptance.


    "The storm always takes something," she said softly. "It always has."


    Cold dread curled in my stomach.


    "The prophecy," I whispered. "The blood of Moonstone."


    Her lips curved into the faintest, saddest smile.


    "The price will be paid," she said. "The blood of Moonstone will be spilled."


    A fresh wave of fear and grief crashed through me. The vision of the boys running from me, running to Nn for safety, came to my mind. A sob tore from me and my heart lurched painfully.


    I would protect them, no matter the cost. I knew that they would be safe if I left them with Nn.


    But I didn''t want to. I didn''t want to go. Not yet, and not like this.


    "This was never about punishment,” she said gently. Her form shifted a little closer, the warmth of her presence pressing close and easing some of the panic that was building in me. "It''s about choice."


    I stared at her, confused. How could this be about choice?


    "I don''t understand."


    The wards cracked again.


    Felicity screamed in rage and hurled herself forward, tearing through thest barrier between us. The golden light shattered in a blinding explosion, sending fragments of magic scattering like sparks.


    I stumbled back with a cry as Felicitynded on the top step, barely an arm''s length away.


    Her ws scraped the stone as she surged toward me.


    Everything happened at once.


    The goddess''s power exploded outward in a desperate bid to protect me. The air screamed with it, pressure crushing in from all sides as magicshed out wildly.


    And through it all, my mother didn''t move.


    She simply turned her head.


    Looked past Felicity.


    Past me.


    Past the chaos.


    Her eyes softened.


    A sad smile touched her lips.


    "The blood of Moonstone will be paid," she whispered.


    The words hit me like a death sentence.


    "No," I breathed, terror flooding every inch of me. "No-please-"


    Felicity lunged.


    The goddess roared.


    And somewhere deep in the magic, I felt something shift-something vast and


    deliberate, like a door opening.


    A choice had been made.


    I screamed Nn''s name as the world seemed to tilt, the future rushing toward us


    with unstoppable force.


    Something terrible wasing.


    And for the first time since the storm began, I knew with chilling certainty—


    It wasn''t me the prophecy was going to im.


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    Cede is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a ir for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cede''s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.