Callum’s tiny body trembles against my chest.
I hold him tighter, one arm wrapped protectively around his back, the other hand pressed to the back of his head as if I could shield him from the entire world with just my body. His golden sparks flicker weakly against my torn gown, syncing with my own fading light. He’s so small. So warm. And yet he keeps pushing strength into me through the bond, this impossible child who should be safe in a nursery, not trapped in a nightmare built by my own uncle.
“Shh, my love,” I whisper against his soft hair, rocking him gently even as the suppression grids try to crush us both. “Mama’s got you. I won’t let them hurt you.”
Elias watches us from the edge of the weakening golden sphere I’ve managed to maintain. His expression is no longer gentle. The m
