I press a kiss to the baby’s soft forehead, my voice breaking as I whisper, “You’ll meet your father soon, my little one. I know you will.”
The baby stirs in my arms, a soft coo escaping her lips. It’s a sound so pure, so otherworldly, that it sends a jolt through me, sharp and electrifying. My breath catches as warmth floods my chest, spreading like a fire I can’t contain.
Sabrina steps closer to the bed, her face streaked with tears, her hands trembling as she reaches for mine. “Thank the Goddess,” she whispers, her voice cracking. “Kael didn’t… he didn’t kill her too.” Her fingers tighten around mine, desperate and shaking. “I hope Lucian wins,” she says, her words barely audible. “He has to.”
The baby coos again, the sound stronger this time, filling the room with a strange, almost magical resonance. Energy courses through me, impossible to ignore, propelling me to my feet with the baby held tightly against my chest. My body moves on instinct, driven by a force I don’t understand but can’t deny.
“Talia, where are you going? You need to rest…” Sabrina’s voice trembles, but I barely hear her. My pulse thrums with newfound strength, my senses sharpening. The distant howls no longer sound like threats but like a call—a call to action, to something greater than myself.
The baby coos softly in my arms, her warmth steadying me as my feet move, unbidden, through the halls of the Governor’s Mansion. The distant sounds of battle fade into the background, muffled and insignificant compared to the pull driving me forward. My heart pounds with every step, a rhythm that matches the unexplainable force urging me on.
Kael’s office looms before me, the heavy door creaking as I push it open. The air inside feels different—charged, alive, as though the room itself is holding its breath. My gaze locks onto the massive tapestry hanging against the far wall, and without hesitation, I stride toward it. My fingers grasp the thick fabric and pull it aside, revealing the hidden door beneath.
The door opens easily under my hand, revealing a narrow staircase spiraling downward into darkness. The baby stirs, her tiny hand curling against my chest as I descend, the faint flicker of blue light illuminating the path ahead. With each step, the glow grows brighter, more vibrant, until the shadows retreat completely, replaced by the ethereal radiance of the Celestial Flame.