Author's POVZayan's phone had been vibrating in his pocket with calls and messages throughout the chaos. He hadn't noticed - none of them had. When Wilder's shadow powers had exploded out, when Aeris had been slammed into that support beam, when they'd all been fighting desperately to save their friend from being consumed by darkness, checking their phones had been the last thing on anyone's mind.It wasn't until much later, once they'd gotten Wilder upstairs and settled, once Aeris was helped to his office despite his protests, once the adrenaline had finally started to dissipate from their system, that Zayan even remembered his phone existed.He'd retired to his small room in the Sanctum - really more a closet with a cot in it, but it's his, the only privacy any of them really had down here. His hands were still shaking a little from the training, from watching Wilder being torn nearly apart, from the fear that had gripped all of them when they'd thought they'd lose him.Zayan was

Aeris POVThe pain in my chest was a constant companion now, a burning that radiated through my torso with every breath. I sat in my office, door locked, and surrounded by the documents that had been sent by my informant. Papers strewn all over my desk, pictures on the walls, and notes scrawled in my increasingly unsteady handwriting.And in the bottom drawer, locked away, lay that cursed book. The one that had almost killed me by almost touching it. The one that had sped up the corrosiveness that was all over my body.I should have been resting. The kids had completed evening training one hour earlier, tired but stronger for it. Wilder had sat on the sidelines again, too afraid to tap into his Shadow element after the loss of control yesterday. Zayan had requested the night off - family business, he'd said, and I'd let him go even though I had the nagging feeling that something was wrong.But I couldn't rest. Not while there were still so many questions that needed to be answered.I'

Aires POVThe hospital parking garage was practically empty at this hour. I found a spot near the elevator, and I shut off the engine, but I didn't get out straight away. Instead, I sat there, counting my blessings.The pain in my chest. Reduced, but not eliminated. I can feel the scar tissue, I can feel the damage that the old wound had done, but the burning sensation that had been slowly killing me was a dull ache.My power? easier to access. I called a small flame in my palm, watching the flame dance above my skin. It came quicker than it had in weeks, burned brighter, and held more stable. Not my full strength - I'd probably never get that back - but better than I'd been.My time? uncertain. And I'd thought that I had days, maybe hours. Now... I didn't know. Weeks again, maybe? A month if I was careful?The woman who'd attacked me: young, fast, powerful. Using some type of hybrid power that shouldn't be. Had drained Grimfall's corruption from my wound, then fled like she was terri

Kaladin POVThe same names were written on both. Raymond and Linda Wright. Dr. Cross. Three others Kaladin didn't recognize."The video," Aeris said quietly, more to himself than to Kaladin. He took out one sheet of notes he'd made -- observations from the footage his informant had included with the original documents. Footage of thrall creation. Footage that had been shot somewhere with very specific architectural features. Specific lighting. Specific fixtures.He put it next to Kaladin's blueprints.The room layout matched.Aeris sat back in his chair. For a moment, he simply looked around at everything spread on the desk, all the pieces finally placed in a manner that made sense. Then he put his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes for three seconds, and opened them."The facility is real," he said. "It's at least been operational for eight months from your e-mail chain. The thrall-creating footage was filmed there. You know, "Your parents have been invol

Author's POVThe second situation was more complicated.Multi-room extraction, Aeris said, pointing at the maze of corridors and chambers which they had built. Several civilians are in various places. I hold potential enemies between you and me. Clear every room, secure the civilians, and get them out the door with no one left behind.He looked at Zayan and Eilish. "Your turn."They took their positions at the entrance of the maze. Zayan was in front, and his bulkier frame was better suited to leading in a tight area. The latter treailed immediately after, her hands already burning with repressed flame."First room," Aeris called out. "Three civilians. One hostile."They went into the first room, a little room, and the crates were wooden, arranged like furniture. Three dummies were lying against the far wall in cowering positions. There was a fourth dummy between them and these civilians, and this one was as aggressive as it could be.Zayan lifted his hand, and a piece of concrete vau