The ocean swallowed everything.Cold.Dark.Weightless.I couldn't tell which way was up.My lungs burned as the current twisted my body through the darkness. I reached for something—anything—but my fingers closed around nothing but water.Then something struck my shoulder.Metal.I grabbed it.A broken piece of the chamber.I wrapped one arm around it and kicked toward what I hoped was the surface.My chest felt like it was splitting open. My vision blurred.Then—A hand caught mine.I looked back.The hostess.Her dark hair floated around her face like ink. Her eyes were wide with panic.She was sinking.I grabbed her wrist.She clung to me.For a moment, neither of us moved.Then the current pulled us apart.I tightened my grip.She kicked desperately as I pulled her toward me.Her body collided with mine, and her arms wrapped around my neck.I held her.Not because I was thinking.Because something inside me refused to let her go.We were dragged through the darkness together. Her

I turned.Nothing.The room was empty.But I could still feel the breath against my neck.Cold.Wet.Close enough to make every instinct in my body scream.I raised my weapon."Show yourself."Silence.The hostess stood frozen behind me.The other Aria slowly scanned the room."Did you see anything?""No.""But you heard her.""Yes."The hostess swallowed."I heard her too."The other Aria looked at her."Who was it?"She shook her head."I don't know."A drop of water landed on the floor.Then another.I looked down.Wet footprints.They began behind me.They crossed the room.And stopped beside the wall.I followed them with my eyes.Nothing.Then the wall changed.A dark shape appeared beneath the stone.A handprint.Human.I stepped closer.The mark disappeared.The generator suddenly came back to life.The lights flickered.Once.Twice.Then stayed on.The room looked normal again.Except for one thing.The door was gone.Not broken.Gone.There was only a solid stone wall where

The water rose to my knees.Kane didn't move.He only watched me.His silver eyes shifted from one woman to the other.Then back to me.“Which one?”His voice echoed through the chamber.I looked at them.The woman who had lived on the island for three years stood against the wall, breathing hard. Her clothes were torn from our escape, her dark hair plastered against her face.The other Aria—the hostess—stood beside me.Close enough that I could feel her warmth.Her fingers found mine.She didn't squeeze.She simply held on.As if she was afraid that if she let go, I would disappear.The water climbed higher.My thighs.My waist.Kane smiled.“You remember the throne.”I stared at him.“You remember the city.”My jaw tightened.“You remember her.”The image came back.Aria crying beneath a red sky.Thousands of people screaming.Buildings burning.My hands covered in blood.Seven symbols glowing across my body.And my own voice—I forgot how to stop.I swallowed.“I don't know which o

For several seconds, nobody breathed.The man standing in the doorway looked exactly like me.Not similar.Not close.Exactly.Same face.Same jaw.Same scar above my eyebrow.Even the small crease beside my left eye was there.But his eyes were different.Mine were tired.His were ancient.He looked at me the way a man looks at a grave he has visited too many times.Then he smiled.“You still don't remember.”I tightened my grip around Aria's hand.“Who are you?”His smile faded.“That question again.”He stepped forward.Marcus immediately raised his weapon.“Stay where you are.”The man looked at him.Marcus froze.His finger remained on the trigger.But he couldn't move.The stranger turned back to me.“You always bring soldiers.”I frowned.“Why?”“Because you're afraid of being alone.”The words struck somewhere deep.I stepped forward.“You said you've killed me before.”“I didn't say that.”“You said I should have remembered her.”“Yes.”“Then who is she?”His eyes moved towar

The words echoed through the cavern.WELCOME HOME, KING.I couldn't move.Neither could Aria.Below us, the city continued glowing.Golden light poured through streets that had no business existing beneath an island.Towers rose from the darkness.Bridges stretched between cliffs.Thousands of windows flickered on at once.And everywhere I looked—people were kneeling.Not soldiers.Not creatures.People.Men.Women.Children.Families.Entire crowds bowing their heads toward me.I stared at them.“Who are they?”The stranger didn't answer.I turned toward him.“Who are they?”He finally spoke.“Everyone you left behind.”My stomach dropped.“I've never seen them.”“You did.”“When?”“Before you became Ethan.”I shook my head.“No.”He looked at me.“You keep saying that.”“Because it's true.”“No.”His voice was calm.“You're saying it because you need it to be true.”The ground trembled beneath us.A deep vibration traveled through the stone.Aria stepped closer.“What's happening?”