Phyna turned her head sharply, frowning in confusion. "What are you talking about, Clara? Share his power? How is that even possible?" Clara looked at Thomas and Dorian. The time for keeping secrets from their federal partner was officially over. If they were going to survive the storm King was brewing, Phyna needed to understand the absolute truth of what they were fighting against. Clara turned around, stepping toward the center of the room. She reached up to her neck, pulling the ancient, glowing silver pendant out from beneath her sweater. "The seven Heirs that once ruled the underworld years ago possessed cosmic, god-like abilities," Clara explained gently. "When King overthrew the council, he murdered six of those Heirs and absorbed their powers directly into his own body. That is why he is a god among men today." Phyna stared at the glowing silver pendant resting in Clara's hand. "And your brother... Adrian?" "Adrian was the Seventh Heir—the Dragon Heir," Clara reveale

Phyna sat completely silent on her side of the table, her ceramic mug resting untouched in front of her. Cold steam rose from the black liquid, but she didn't take a single sip. Her hands rested flat against her thighs, her gloved fingers clenching slightly.Inside Phyna’s chest, a dizzying, suffocating sense of internal conflict was churning.Look at him... Phyna thought, her jaw gritting as she stared at her former superior officer. Look at Commander Harold Vance.Thirty years ago, when Phyna was just a twenty-year-old rookie investigator entering the Federal Task Force, Harold Vance was the undisputed iron wall of the agency. He was a terrifying, relentless chief magistrate who hated the underworld with every fiber of his being. He had spent decades giving lectures to young recruits, preaching that syndicate figures were nothing more than parasites, monsters, and disease. It was from Harold Vance that Phyna had inherited her own ruthless, lifelong obsession with hunting down "The

Clara dropped to her knees beside the old man. Her sharp, tactical mind calculated the terrifying math in a microsecond: the Ash-Arrow alchemy was moving at a rate of two inches per second. In less than four seconds, the dark fire would cross his knee joint, reach his artery, travel up to his heart, and erase his entire body into a pile of grey dust.There was no time for medical supplies. There was no time for an antidote. There was only one horrific, brutal choice to save his life.Clara reached into the pocket of her blazer, pulling out a heavy, clean cotton kitchen towel she had grabbed from the counter earlier.Without a word, Clara jammed the folded towel firmly into Harold’s open, screaming mouth!"Hold him, Thomas!" Clara commanded, her raspy voice cold, sharp, and absolute!Thomas didn't ask questions. He threw his massive arms around Harold’s shoulders and chest, pinning the old man firmly to the floorboards!Clara reached to her belt, drawing her heavy, ten-inch high-carbon

Clara with the help of Julia figured out King's location which was a massive, iron-ribbed fortress that had been converted into King’s hideout.Inside the lead command vehicle, Clara sat quietly, sitting across from her, Commander Phyna adjusted her helmet, checking the power levels of four massive, sleek cannons mounted on the roofs of the heavy support trucks trailing behind them.Thomas and Dorian sat near the rear doors. Dorian was casually running a whetstone along the edge of his combat blade, while Thomas checked the heavy kinetic plates locked over his chest."We are approaching the outer perimeter breach," Phyna’s voice came sharp over the internal comms. "Remember... Nathaniel’s men are modified with King's Heir blood. They have enhanced speed, kinetic resistance, and increased sensory perception. Do not engage at close range unless necessary."Clara lifted her head, her dark eyes hollow and unblinking. "Leave the augmented lieutenants to me. You focus on securing the lower

High on the dais, King’s dark smile vanished instantly. His red eyes twisted into a look of absolute, cold, psychotic fury."Disappointing..." King spat bitterly. He turned toward the massive holographic screen, raising his hand to command the guard. "Guard... kill the girl. Turn her to dust.""NOOOOOOOOO!" Clara shrieked at the top of her lungs, throwing her body forward! "NO! MY BABY! NOOOOO!"On the massive screen, the Crimson guard sneered, raising the dark Ash-Arrow to drive it straight into Nancy's neck.Suddenly!BZZZZZZZZT-CRACKLE!The holographic video feed violently stuttered! Heavy, blinding arcs of blue and gold spatial static tore across the screen, distorting the image!Over the audio speakers, a sharp, sudden, sickening THWACK echoed out, followed instantly by a terrified gasp from the guard that was cut short!BZZZZ-FLICKER-BLACK.The entire fifty-foot holographic screen went completely pitch-black!King froze on the steps. His brow furrowed in deep, sudden confusion a