Kael’s POV:
The word Black Serpent echoed inside my skull, sharp, unreal. My breath caught in my throat.
“What do you mean?” I rasped, staring at the president as though I could tear the truth out of his face. “What the hell do you mean my son is also a victim? I tested him myself. I checked everything—he was fine! Perfectly fine!”
The president didn’t flinch. Calm, deliberate, he reached into his leather case and handed me a slim folder.
“See for yourself.”
My hands trembled as I opened it. Inside were medical documents—charts, scans, neurological notes. My eyes locked on the brain image, a black-and-white printout where irregular shadows sprawled like cracks in glass.
“What the…” My throat went dry.
The president’s voice was grave, unyielding. “That is your son’s brain. The geneti
