"What happened when you found her?"
"She was giving birth. Marcus had promised to deliver her to me after the baby came, but when I arrived, Celeste was already dying. The birth had taken everything from her." Morganna's voice drops. "She looked at me, at the baby in her arms—you—and she used the last of her divine power to place a blessing on you. Protection against dark magic, resistance to compulsion, the ability to purify corruption. She poured everything she had left into making sure I couldn't use you the way I'd planned to use her."
"Then what?"
"Then she died. And Marcus took the baby and hid you. Registered you as adopted, dyed your hair, suppressed any indication that you were special. I searched for years, but he'd hidden you too well." Morganna's laugh is bitter. "I spent th
