AT LYKOS’S HOUSE
Motionless for a moment, Oceana stared at Lykos in shock as the gravity of his words set in. His uncle is his father? The realization struck her like a blow, and she struggled to find her voice as her mind raced. What exactly did Lykos mean? "Who told you this?" she finally asked, and Lykos looked up at her, his eyes red and swollen with tears.
"My uncle did," he said, his voice hoarse and Oceana's heartbeat quickened as she gently cupped his face, encouraging him to continue. Lykos spoke in halting, broken fragments as he told her everything—from finding the letter, confronting his mother, and the crushing weight of betrayal. His voice cracked with each word, and Oceana felt his pain as if it were her own.
"She said it was a moment of weakness, a mistake," Lykos yelle
