Adrian nodded."Fine."Julian smiled."I'm coming too."Adrian looked at him."You just met me.""You're my brother."Julian shrugged."That's enough."Victor sighed."Then I suppose we're all going."Adrian looked toward Elena.She remained silent.Then she slowly nodded."I'll come."Adrian's expression softened."Okay."He turned toward the station exit."Let's end this."Twenty minutes later, the convoy reached St. Raphael's Hospital.The building had been abandoned for years.Its windows were broken.The entrance was covered with weeds.Yet one light was still burning.The emergency entrance.Adrian stepped out.He stared at the building."This is where I was born."Elena nodded."Yes."Adrian walked inside.The corridors were dark.Their footsteps echoed.Then a light turned on.Then another a path appeared. Adrian followed it.They reached the maternity ward.The door opened automatically.Inside was a single hospital bed.An old medical monitor.And a man sitting beside it.A

Nobody moved.Adrian's gun remained pointed at Lucas.Julian stood beside him, equally tense.Across the room, Margaret held the baby against her chest and behind her stood several armed men.Adrian's eyes never left Lucas. "So you're Lucas."The young man smiled. "Finally."Adrian frowned."Finally?""I've heard your name for years."Lucas slowly walked farther into the room. "I've heard about Julian too."His gaze shifted to his older brother."The forgotten heir."Julian's jaw tightened. "And you?"Lucas smiled."The heir nobody was supposed to remember."Adrian's finger tightened around the trigger."Put the baby down."Margaret laughed "You haven't changed."Adrian's eyes hardened."I wasn't asking and I'm not afraid of you."Margaret lifted the baby slightly. "One wrong move and she dies."Adrian froze.Julian immediately grabbed his arm."Adrian.""I know."Lucas looked amused. "You really do care about her.""She's my family.""Exactly."Lucas glanced at Margaret."That's why

The Sovereign fired.Adrian barely had time to react.“MOVE!”He grabbed Elena and pulled her behind a concrete pillar as bullets tore through the chamber.Julian threw himself behind another section of the wall while Victor dragged Amara away from the open floor.Margaret screamed as she protected the baby with her body.Lucas simply stood there, frozen.“Lucas!” Adrian shouted.A bullet struck the wall beside his head.Lucas finally moved. He dove behind a machine as sparks exploded around him. “This thing is insane!” he shouted.Adrian looked at Alexander. “You said you could stop it!”Alexander fired at one of the mechanical weapons. “I said I knew how to destroy it!”“That would have been useful information five minutes ago!”“Get to the central core!”Adrian looked toward the massive machine.“Where?”Alexander pointed toward the center of the chamber.“There!”A circular section had opened beneath the machine.Inside it was a glowing black sphere.“That is the Sovereign's core,

The woman stood in the darkness.Adrian could barely see her face, but he could feel the weight of her presence.The baby in his arms reached toward her.“Mother.”The single word came from the child.Adrian froze.The woman smiled.“Yes, little one.”Cassian immediately stepped in front of Elena.“Stay back.”The woman looked at him.“You are still afraid of me, Cassian.”Cassian's expression hardened.“I know what you are.”“No.”She took another step forward.“You know what they told you I was.”Alexander raised his gun.“You should have remained buried.”The woman laughed.“You first taught me how to survive.”Alexander's finger tightened around the trigger.Adrian looked between them.“Everyone stop.”Nobody moved.Adrian turned toward the woman.“Who are you?”She looked directly at him.“My name is Seraphine Nightingale.”Elena's face went pale.“That name…”Seraphine smiled.“It belongs to your grandmother.”Adrian's eyes narrowed.“Helena said she was my grandmother.”“She is

Adrian stood completely still.The child rested against his chest, but he barely noticed her weight.The voice inside his head was still there.We have been waiting for you.He closed his eyes.“Get out of my head.”Nobody spoke.Julian stepped closer.“Adrian?”Adrian opened his eyes.“I can hear it.”Seraphine's face tightened.“What is it saying?”Adrian hesitated.“It called me the Creator.”Alexander immediately stepped toward him.“Don't answer it.”Adrian looked at him.“Why?”“Because the Sovereign doesn't communicate unless it has established a complete neural connection.”Adrian's expression hardened.“So it has control of me?”“No.”Seraphine interrupted.“Not yet.”Adrian looked at her.“What does ‘not yet’ mean?”“It means you still have control over yourself.”She glanced at the symbol on his hand.“But the connection is growing.”Adrian looked down.The black mark pulsed beneath his skin.“What happens when it reaches my heart?”Seraphine's silence answered him.Julian