~Zoe~
And now she was part of a world I barely understood, surrounded by creatures I'd thought existed only in fiction.
"You're wrong," I said, my voice hardening. "Algorithm or not, that's still Elara. I know her."
"Do you?" Lyra challenged. "Did you know her mother created a genetic code that could transform humans into hybrids? Did you know her father—"
"Stop," I hissed. "Just... stop."
I returned my attention to the binoculars, refusing to let Lyra see how her words had affected me. Through the lens, I watched as Damon Marx himself entered the room, joining Elara by the window. The way she turned toward him wasn't fearful or reluctant—there was something almost eager in her posture.
Something inside me cracked. After everything Caleb had told me about Marx and his experiments, af
