The Sanctum dimmed after the vision ended, but the air remained charged.
Everyone stood frozen, each one reeling. Then, “get out.” Riven’s voice sliced clean through the silence. Kaine blinked. “Excuse me?” Riven took a step forward, eyes dark. “You looked at her like a weapon. A threat. I saw it in every one of you.” His voice cracked with something too raw to name. “So get. Out.”
Sethis frowned but didn’t argue. Lucien lingered for a moment, studying Mae, then Ashar, before nodding silently and ushering the others out. The door sealed behind them, humming with finality. Now, it was just Mae, Ashar, and Riven, in the heart of the sanctum, surrounded by ancient memory and possibility. Riven turned to Mae, softer now. “Do you want the truth?” he asked. “Not pieces, not guesses. The whole
