2026-02-20 20:21:21
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CHAPTER 155
Eilish's POVI was doing so much better.That was what everyone kept telling me, and most days I actually believed it.But I was managing it. Learning to recognize the warning signs when the darkness started creeping in.Learning to ask for help instead of suffering alone.Therapy helped. My therapist, Dr. Chen, had been working with me twice a week for a month after the convergence. She specialized in trauma and PTSD, understood that my struggles went deeper than normal teenage angst.The sessions were hard. Talking about sixteen years of foster care, about the scars on my wrists, about the suicide attempt that had nearly ended my life before I'd even discovered I was Etherwind.But they were helping. Slowly, incrementally, I was learning to process the trauma instead of just carrying it.Living with Astoria and Samvel helped too. Having a home that felt permanent. Having grandparents who showed up to my dance recitals and cried with pride.Having a room that was mine, with a bed that
CHAPTER 154
Wilder's POVUnless she was immortal.Like Samvel and Astoria Aristarkh. Like the monarchs of the Obsidian who had lived for centuries. Like other Etherwind descendants who had found ways to extend their lives indefinitely.What if Sophia Cross wasn't Dr. Raymond Cross's partner, colleague, or random person with an unfortunate last name?What if she were his daughter? And what if she'd been alive for over a century, changing her appearance when needed, operating in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to act?My hand was shaking as I grabbed a pen and wrote a question mark on the photograph.I needed to confirm this. Needed to verify whether this was actually possible, whether the woman Morrison's new partner was searching for could actually be over a hundred years old.But first--First, I needed to sleep. My eyes were burning, my head pounding. I'd been awake for nearly thirty hours, and my body was demanding rest.I placed the photograph in my research folder and stood up, my
CHAPTER 153
Wilder's POVBut I would investigate. Privately. Quietly. I would once again search the files, checking everything about Sophia Cross, her background, her transfer, and her connection to this investigation. I had a feeling about her, a nagging, unwelcome feeling. And I was determined to discover why.Across the room, Rune’s head twitched, and his gaze met mine. He’d heard me; I’d forgotten my mental shield, and he had access to my every internal thought concerning Morrison’s partner."We'll discuss this later." His thought was flat, not condemning or even judgmental. It simply acknowledged the facts, and we’d address the situation in private.I offered a small nod and shifted my attention back to Morrison."We have four more victims, all teenagers," Morrison stated, no preamble needed. "Twelve to sixteen years old, all disappeared within the last forty-eight hours. We found fingerprints and DNA traces at one of the crime scenes matching that of Dr. Raymond Cross."Charis walked over
CHAPTER 152
Wilder's POVSomething was wrong.I couldn't describe it, couldn't even point to one particular bit of detail or thing to observe that made me start feeling colder, more uneasy in my chest. But every instinct I had built up over months of fighting corruption was howling in my mind to listen to it.The training with Tiago went well. Actually, it was going extraordinarily well.For the past two hours, we had been inside the basement of the library, reading up on texts about seal reinforcement and how it can be used, comparing old Etherwind techniques with modern magical theory.Just had to appreciate all his efforts. Tiago was very methodical and patient. He was really trying to help, even though I was scrutinizing his every move like a hawk, expecting manifestations of corruption that hadn't shown themselves in months.Even cracking a joke. A really bad joke, something about ancient sorcerers having bad handwriting, and I nearly laughed. Nearly.But as I left the library into the late
CHAPTER 151
Author's POV"The files we recovered from Cross's operation had her listed only as 'S.C.' No full name. No background information. Like whoever she is, Cross went out of his way to keep her identity secret.""S.C.," Charis repeated thoughtfully. "Could be initials. Could be a code name. Hard to say."Morrison gathered the photographs back up."I've got my new partner working on it. She just joined the department last month. Transferred from the FBI, excellent track record, specifically requested assignment to New Haven. She's been a huge asset already.""What's her name?" Kaladin asked."Dr. Sophia Cross," Morrison said."No relation to Raymond, we already checked. Different family, different background. Just an unfortunate coincidence with the last name."Something cold slithered down Charis's spine. She couldn't explain it. Couldn't justify the sudden unease that gripped her at hearing that name. But something felt wrong.Morrison didn't seem to notice. She was already packing up th
CHAPTER 150
Author's POVBut it's helping. Little by little, she was learning to process rather than simply carry the pain. To understand that her worth wasn't tied to what was done to her. That depression was something that happened to her, not who she was.She still danced. The New Haven School of Dance welcomed her back with open arms, and she poured herself into her practice with the fire and intensity that brought her instructors to tears.She was good. So good that top private programs were already scouting her for life after graduation. Good enough, that dance wasn't just a distraction anymore-it was the one thing she'd found that she could build a future on.She trained with Astoria three mornings a week. Combat training and control over her element, mastering the skills passed down through generations of Etherwind bloodlines. Her fire was stable now, tied to her emotions but no longer volatile, no longer dangerous. No longer capable of burning her if she wasn't careful. She’d learned
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