KATHERINE POV
It was done.
The cat was out of the bag—no, scratch that. The phoenix had ripped out of the cage, screaming, burning, demanding to be seen. There was no hiding now. No pretending. No shrinking back into the shadows like I used to pray I could.
They knew.
They all knew.
And the bond... the bond didn’t break. It snapped. Stretched. Thrummed like a living thing. But it didn’t recoil. It didn’t rot with disgust or betrayal.
No.
What I felt was raw, stunned admiration wrapped in shock and confusion—but no hate. No fear. No rejection.
And Goddess, I’d take that as a win.
If exposing what I am is what it took to save Keegan’s life... so be it.
If they hated me, feared me, sold me out to the highest bidder—so be it.
But they didn’t.
Not yet at least.
And for the first ti
