Helen's POV
I tucked Nova into bed and promised I would see her in the morning. A promise I feared I wouldn't be able to keep. I turned to see Vincent standing in the doorway. He came and gave Nova her goodnight kiss, and then we left the room. We left our underground home and stepped into the field. Ryker stood at the center.
He waited a few moments to make sure everyone was present and paying attention to him. “The time has come,” he began, his voice echoing around the open field. “We have been preparing for this day for a long time, and finally it has arrived.” There was pride in his voice as he peered around the field. It was clear he thought this would be an easy victory. However, we were not so naive as to believe the same.
“Once you have shifted, we will lose the ability to commu
