“You shouldn’t have done that.” Peter said in a low menacing voice. Upon hearing those words, Liam was slightly confused by what Peter meant. His heart hammered in his ears, but he didn’t dare take his eyes off Jonah, who was still writhing in the dim light.When he saw Jonah twitched, slowly pushing himself up, with blood still oozing from his chest, but nevertheless still not slowing him down. Liam’s eyes widened in disbelief. This was not supposed to be possible. That cut had gone deep enough and Jonah should not have survived that, even if he did, he shouldn’t have been moving.Bracing himself, Liam tightened his grip around the Zuri blade.“Did you really think it would be that easy?” Peter’s voice filtered into his ears again, each word more condescending than the last. “I’ve spent years building this, perfecting my creations. Did you really think you can just end it with a single swing?”The words hit Liam like a punch to the gut and his mind raced, every thought spinning out

After saying those words, Jack was almost about to slump again, but this time Liam caught him before he hit the ground. His body was cold, his breathing shallow with blood smeared all over his torn shirt, and at a glance, it seemed almost as if he was lifeless.“Jack!” Liam shook him slightly, but Jack was already unconscious at this time.Liam clenched his jaw, his mind racing. He didn’t have time to process Jack’s words. He already knew Peter was a nightmare, but now he had just confirmed for himself that there was even something much worse waiting in the shadows.Without wasting another second, Liam picked him up regardless of the pain surging through his body. He carried Jack down the stairs, moving as fast his battered body would allow. By the time he reached the car, he wasted no time and immediately yanked open the passenger door and carefully eased Jack inside, making sure his head was supported.Liam slid into the driver’s seat, gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles turn

Liam arrived shortly at the Stevens mansion. Following Jonah’s scare, he needed to know that no one that mattered to him or Mia was in danger, at least not until he had a way to cure whatever this monstrosity was. As he pulled over in the driveway, the air in the mansion was thick with unease. The weight of Mia’s absence pressed down on everyone like an invisible force. The grand hall fo the mansion which was usually a place opulence and control, now felt suffocating, filled with restless murmurs and anxious glances. No one knew what to do.Yona was pacing, arms crossed tightly over her chest, her frustration spilling over. “This is insane,” she snapped, shaking her head. “Mia’s been missing for hours, and we’re just sitting here doing nothing? We should be calling the police—”“She’s not missing. She’s with Liam.” Lord David’s voice was firm, cutting through the tension like a knife.Yona turned sharply to face him, her eyes blazing with defiance. “Yeah? Then why hasn’t anyone heard

Liam watched the men leave, his brows furrowing in anger, and then exhaled sharply as he stepped back inside, locking the door behind him. The silence of the house pressed against him, a stark contrast to the confrontation that had just taken place outside. The Tribunal had drawn their line in the sand. He had refused to back down, and now, he had made enemies of powerful people. There was no turning back.He ran a hand down his face, willing the tension in his body to ease, but it wouldn’t. His mind kept spinning, calculating the next move, searching for the inevitable plan to retaliate. He needed to be ready, but first he needed to know how Jack was doing.He pulled out his phone and dialed her number. He needed to know they were safe. If he was going to fight this war, the people he cared about couldn’t be collateral damage.The phone rang once. Twice and then went flat. Liam sighed and dialed it again, this time, his grip on the phone faltered as a familiar vibration surged throug

Liam’s grip on the Zuri blade tightened as he willed himself to breathe and steady the fear curling around his ribs like a vice. But it was there, gnawing at the edges of his mind, whispering truths he didn’t want to face.What if you lose yourself? What if you become the very thing that wrecks this world?He swallowed hard. The thought lingered like a shadow. But deep down, he already knew—he wasn’t afraid of the Tribunal. He wasn’t even afraid of dying. He was afraid of what the blade could turn him into.Liam clenched his jaw, inhaling sharply. His fingers flexed against the hilt, and for a fleeting moment, he swore he felt something stir within the metal, almost like a second heartbeat.“It’s okay, Liam,” he muttered under his breath. “You’ve got this.”But even as the words left his lips, he wasn’t sure he believed them. He lifted his gaze, locking onto Jasper. The Tribunal’s forces remained in formation behind him, weapons raised, tension thick in the air. The night seemed to ho