Author's POVHer purification ability was new. Strange. Not fully her own. A side effect of Zayan's healing, rather than a natural element.She didn't know how to channel it. Didn't know if it could be channeled. Didn't know if she was even capable of helping.So she did the only thing she could think of. The only thing that made sense in the chaos.She held onto Zayan. Wrapped her arms around her brother as he knelt on the stone, channeling earth power.Provided physical support as he grew weaker by the minute.Kept him upright. Kept him stable. Kept him fighting even though the corruption spreading through his system was trying to drag him down.It wasn't energy transfer. Wasn't power sharing. But it was helpful. And sometimes help was enough.On the defensive line, Astoria whispered her own last prayer.Not to gods. She'd stopped believing in those decades ago after watching too many good people die while praying.But to her daughter. To the woman who'd died fighting this same war.

Author's POVSo he restrained instead. Subdued. Made sure the former thrall couldn't hurt anyone while still processing what had happened to him.And across the ballroom, across the entire battlefield. The same thing happened.Every remaining thrall went limp simultaneously. Eyes clearing. Corruption draining. Grimfall's control severed as the ancient evil focused entirely on its escape instead of maintaining puppets.Some collapsed unconscious. Some stood confused and traumatized. Some started screaming as memory returned and they realized what they'd been forced to do.But none attacked. None remained corrupted. All were freed by Grimfall's imprisonment.Charis watched the blonde woman collapse at her feet.And wished desperately. Achingly. That the thrall had actually struck true. That the blade had pierced her back before the corruption drained. That death had claimed her before she had to keep existing in a world without Aeris.What was the point of living now? Of continuing? Of

Author's POVCharis stood in the wreckage of Blackthorn Estate and tried to figure out how to explain the unexplainable.Detective Morrison approached with her weapon still drawn. Her backup officers fanned out behind her, securing the perimeter. Taking positions. Cataloging the devastation with professional efficiency."I'm going to ask you one more time," Morrison said. Voice hard. Authoritative. "What happened here?"Charis took a breath. Steadied herself. Prepared to lie in a way that would sound believable."We don't know," she said. Injecting confusion into her voice. Fear. The kind of emotions someone would have if they'd been through trauma without understanding it. "We were--we were taken. Kidnapped. Brought here against our will."Morrison's eyes narrowed. "Kidnapped? By who?""We don't know that either." Charis gestured vaguely at the bodies. At the blood. At the evidence of battle. "There were people. Wearing masks. They grabbed us from different locations. Brought us

Author's POV"The crystal prison," one of them gasped."It's acting strange. Pulsing. Reacting to something. We don't know what's happening, but it's--it's not stable anymore."Fear cut through the room. Sharp and immediate.Because if the prison failed, if Grimfall escaped after everything they'd done--Shit!"What do you mean?" Charis demanded. Already moving toward the door. "What's happening?""We don't know! It was dormant. Completely still. And then suddenly it started--"But she didn't finish. Because everyone was already running. Following the Watchers toward whatever chamber they'd been storing the crystallized cage in.Everyone except Rune and Wilder.Who stood slowly. Calmly. Without the panic everyone else showed."It's okay," Rune said. Glowing eyes tracking the frantic movement."We understand what's happening.""It's us," Wilder added. Shadows were settling around him peacefully. "The prison is bound to us."Everyone stopped. Turned. Stared at the two boys who'd just del

Eillish's POV"I had resources. Access to Dr. Cross's files. Access to Tiago's archives. I started digging. Looking for anything that connected to the woman I'd seen. The woman whose face I'd been dreaming about.""What did you find?""Pictures," Samvel said."So many pictures. Files dating back decades. And I was in them. In some of them. Standing beside you.Smiling. Looking at you like--like you were my entire world."He laughed. Bitter and broken. "And I didn't remember. Couldn't remember. Looked at proof of my own life and felt nothing except this terrible sense of loss for something I didn't even know I'd had.""I followed you," he admitted."After that. When you left the Sanctum. I followed you to your base. Watched you work. Watched you lead. Watched you be this incredible force that I knew. I knew in my heart. Mattered more than anything.""What I felt," Samvel said quietly."Standing outside your base. Watching you through windows. Seeing you alive and real and so close, I co