With a final, desperate lunge, Blackwood reaches for the lever. Time slows as I realize I can’t reach him in time, but beforehe can grasp it, the eredar beast’s tail slams into the machine with a thunderous crash, completely destroying it.
Blackwood’s anguished scream is cut short as the beast’s massive paw pins him to the ground. The chamber falls silent, the sudden absence of battle almost deafening.
The acrid smell of ozone hangs heavily in the air, mingling with the metallic tang of blood and the musty scent of ancient stone. My skin tingles with residual magic, and I can taste shadow on my tongue, dark and electric. The eredar beast’s breathing echoes off the walls, a low, rhythmic rumble that vibrates through the floor and up into my bones.
I rush for my brother, grabbing his body and pulling it to the ground in case everything crashes down around us.
In the stillness that follows, I become aware of a warm weight in my arms. I look down to see my brother’s eyes fluttering open, meeting mine for the first time. His gaze is confused at first, then clears with a spark of recognition.
“Hey,” I say softly, tears blurring my vision. My voice cracks with emotion. “I’m your sister.”
He blinks, confusion giving way to a tentative smile. “I... I know you,” he whispers, his voice hoarse from disuse. “Somehow, I’ve always known you.” His eyes, so like mine but filled with light instead of shadow, scan the chaos around us. A wry smile tugs at his lips. “Hell of a family reunion, sis. Got any other surprises for me? Long-lost evil twin, maybe?”
I can’t help but laugh, the sound bordering on hysterical. “Trust me, this is all new to me too. I’m Frankie, by the way. And you are?”
“Finn,” he says, grimacing as he tries to sit up. “At least, that’s what they called me in there. I didn’t exactly come with a name tag when Blackwood snatched me.”
His attempt at humor in the face of everything hits me hard. This is my brother, my family, and I’m never letting anyone hurt him again.
“What the hell did I miss?” Bishop groans, holding his head. Dorian stirs beside him, his eyes fluttering open.
I can’t look away too long because I have actual family—alive—in my arms.
Leo and Matteo crowd close, their arms encircling both of us. Leo’s fingers brush against my cheek, his touch sending a jolt through me, even in this chaos.
“You okay, Echo?” he whispers, using his nickname for me.
Matteo’s solid presence at my back grounds me, his breath warm against my neck. “We’ve got you,” he murmurs, his voice a low rumble that makes my heart skip.
As we sit there, surrounded by the aftermath of battle and the stirring forms of the freed captives, I feel a sense of rightness settle over me. Even in this mess, I’m home when I’m with them. As we stand together, the chaos around us fades into the background. My racing heartbeat slows, and my breathing steadies. For the first time since this madness began, my shoulders relax, the constant tension easing. It’s as if all the scattered pieces of my life have finally clicked into place.
As the eredar beast lets out a victory roar that shakes the foundations of the realm, I allow myself a moment of pure, unbridled hope, but then, just as quickly, that hope shatters.
A sound like reality is tearing apart fills the air. The vortex, which I thought we had destroyed, flares back to life with terrifying intensity. As we watch in horror, a figure steps through—a woman with eyes like the night sky and power radiating from her in waves.
Nyx, the dark goddess herself, has arrived, and she does not look pleased.
“Well, well, well,” she purrs, her voice like silk over steel, “what a mess you’ve made of my realm.”
As her gaze falls on me and my brother, a smile curves her lips, but it’s not a kind smile. “Hello, my children. We have much to discuss.”
The shadows around us pulse in response to her presence, and I realize with a sinking feeling that our battle was just the beginning. The real test is yet to come.
The air in the chamber grows impossibly heavy, as if the atmosphere is bowing to Nyx’s presence. My skin prickles, every hair standing on end as waves of raw power emanate from the goddess. The shadows around us writhe and dance, responding to her existence in ways I’ve never seen before.
“My lady,” Blackwood rasps, struggling to rise despite the eredar beast’s paw still pinning him down. His eyes shine with a mixture of fear and reverence. “You’ve come. I knew you would understand the importance of my work?—”
Nyx silences him with a single, withering glance. “Understand?” Her voice is soft, but it carries the weight of eons. “Oh, I understand perfectly. You sought to upset the balance of my realm, to twist my creations to your own petty ambitions.” Her lips curl into a sneer. “How... disappointingly mortal of you.”
She turns her gaze to me and my brother, and I feel the weight of her attention like a physical force. It’s all I can do to remain standing, my legs trembling with the effort. I feel my twin tense beside me, his hand finding mine and squeezing tightly.
“And you,” Nyx continues, her eyes boring into us, “my lost children, finally reunited. Do you have any idea of the power you hold? Of the responsibility that comes with it?”
I swallow hard, forcing myself to meet her gaze. “We... We didn’t know,” I say, my voice sounding small and insignificant inher presence. “About each other, about any of this. We’ve been pawns in someone else’s game.”
A flicker of... something passes across Nyx’s face. Sympathy? Amusement? It’s gone too quickly for me to be sure.
“Pawns?” She laughs, the sound like the tinkling of distant stars. “Oh, my dear. You’ve never been pawns. You are the queen and king on this cosmic chessboard, whether you realized it or not.”
