"ROHGAH, DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!"
My mother's voice echoed through the chamber.
For the first time in eighteen years, I was looking at her.
Really looking at her.
Silver hair.
Pale skin.
The tiny scar beneath her left eye.
The same necklace Sofia had been wearing.
There was no doubt.
This was our mother.
Seraya.
She was alive.
And Vaelor had one hand wrapped tightly around her throat.
"Let her go," I said.
Vaelor smiled.
"You sound just like your father."
"Don't mention him."
His smile widened.
"Still angry?"
I stepped forward.
"Release her."
Vaelor tightened his grip.
Seraya gasped.
Sofia screamed.
"Mom!"
She tried to run toward her.
I caught her arm.
"No."
"She's our mother!"
"I know."
"Then let me go!"
"If you rush him, he'll kill her."
Sofia froze.
Tears streamed down her face.
Vaelor looked at her.
"You've always been emotional, Liora."
Sofia flinched.
"Don't call me that."
"Why?"
"Because only my mother calls me that."
Vaelor laughed.
"Exactly."
Seraya looked at Sofia.
"Liora…"
Sofia broke down.
"I remember."
Her voice shook.
"I remember you calling me that."
Seraya's eyes filled with tears.
"I knew you would."
Vaelor rolled his eyes.
"How touching."
I stared at him.
"What happened to her?"
"Nothing that concerns you."
"You stole her power."
"I did."
"You imprisoned her."
"I did."
"Why?"
Vaelor looked at Seraya.
"Because she refused to give me what I wanted."
Seraya struggled against his grip.
"You could never control the Hollow."
Vaelor's eyes darkened.
"I don't need to control it anymore."
He looked directly at me.
"I have him."
My heart stopped.
He released Seraya.
She fell to the floor.
Sofia rushed toward her.
"Mom!"
I moved at the same time.
But Vaelor raised his hand.
A wall of black magic exploded between us.
Sofia and Seraya were trapped on the other side.
"NO!"
I attacked the barrier.
Silver magic struck it.
Nothing happened.
I attacked again.
Still nothing.
Vaelor laughed.
"You're getting stronger."
"I'll kill you."
"Perhaps."
He walked closer.
"But first, I need you to understand something."
I raised my hand.
"I'm not listening."
"You will."
His eyes turned silver.
"The Hollow chose you long before you knew it existed."
I shook my head.
"No."
"Yes."
He pointed at my chest.
"Your mother knew."
I looked at Seraya.
She lowered her head.
My stomach tightened.
"Is that true?"
Seraya didn't answer.
"Mom?"
She looked at me.
"I was trying to protect you."
"That isn't an answer."
Her lips trembled.
"Yes."
The word destroyed something inside me.
"You knew?"
"Yes."
"You knew what I was?"
"I knew what you carried."
"And you still left me?"
Seraya closed her eyes.
"I didn't leave you."
"Then why wasn't I with you?"
Her voice broke.
"Because keeping you would have killed you."
Sofia held her.
"Tell us everything."
Seraya looked at both of us.
"When you were born, the Hollow had already begun awakening."
She took a shaky breath.
"It sensed Rohgah."
I stared at her.
"Why me?"
"Because you inherited my connection to it."
Vaelor interrupted.
"You inherited something greater."
Seraya glared at him.
"Don't."
Vaelor smiled.
"Tell them."
She remained silent.
I looked at her.
"Mom."
She finally whispered,
"You were born with the ability to command the Hollow."
The chamber became silent.
Sofia looked at me.
I couldn't breathe.
"So that's why Machir sealed me."
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you were a child."
"You could have told me when I grew up."
"I tried."
I frowned.
"What?"
"Machir erased more than your memories."
My blood went cold.
"What else did he erase?"
Seraya looked away.
"Your connection to me."
I stared at her.
"He made me forget you completely?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because Vaelor could use your memories to find me."
I looked at Vaelor.
He smiled.
"She was right."
Sofia stepped forward.
"And me?"
Seraya's eyes filled with tears.
"You were different."
"How?"
"You carried my blood."
I looked at Sofia.
"She is the key," Vaelor said.
Seraya shook her head.
"She is not a weapon."
"No," Vaelor replied.
"She is the door."
Sofia's face went pale.
"The door to what?"
"The Hollow."
Suddenly the ground shook.
A deep roar came from beneath us.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
The black mark on my palm burned.
I dropped to one knee.
"Rohgah!"
Sofia ran toward me.
The barrier disappeared.
She grabbed me.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded.
Then I heard a voice.
Inside my head.
KING.
I froze.
Sofia stared at me.
"What?"
"It's talking to me."
"What is it saying?"
I swallowed.
"It wants me."
Seraya's face changed.
"No."
She stood.
"The awakening has begun."
Vaelor smiled.
"Exactly."
Seraya looked at him.
"You don't know what you're doing."
"I know exactly what I'm doing."
"You will destroy everything."
"I'll rebuild everything."
"On the bodies of every kingdom?"
Vaelor's expression remained calm.
"Every kingdom needs a new ruler."
His eyes moved toward me.
"And I have found mine."
I stepped forward.
"I will never serve you."
Vaelor laughed.
"You don't need to serve me."
He snapped his fingers.
The chamber walls began glowing.
Ancient symbols appeared everywhere.
One symbol appeared beneath my feet.
Another beneath Sofia.
They connected.
Silver and black.
Brother and sister.
My heart raced.
Seraya screamed.
"NO!"
She ran toward us.
The symbols exploded.
A wave of energy knocked everyone backward.
I saw flashes.
Vampire armies.
Mermaid cities.
Babylonian warriors.
Werewolf packs.
Wizards.
All of them.
Every supernatural kingdom.
Then I saw the sky split open.
A black force poured across the world.
People screamed.
Buildings collapsed.
Magic disappeared from some.
In others, magic became uncontrollable.
The vision vanished.
I fell to the floor.
Sofia knelt beside me.
"What did you see?"
"War."
Her face went pale.
Seraya whispered,
"The prophecy."
Vaelor smiled.
"Yes."
I looked at him.
"What happens next?"
His eyes gleamed.
"The Hollow chooses its king."
"And if I refuse?"
He stared at me.
"Then it chooses without you."
I didn't understand.
"What does that mean?"
Seraya answered.
"If Rohgah refuses to become its vessel, the Hollow will consume his power."
I looked at her.
"And then?"
"It will search for another."
Her eyes moved toward Sofia.
My blood froze.
"No."
Vaelor smiled.
"Now you understand."
He turned toward the door.
"Protect your sister, Rohgah."
I stepped forward.
"You're not leaving."
Vaelor stopped.
He looked over his shoulder.
"You cannot stop me."
I gathered silver magic in my hand.
"Try me."
Vaelor smiled.
Then he disappeared.
I immediately ran to the door.
Locked.
I struck it.
Nothing.
Sofia stood beside me.
"What are we going to do?"
I looked at our mother.
Seraya was staring at us.
She seemed frightened.
Not of Vaelor.
Of what was coming.
"Mom," I said.
She looked at me.
"Can the Hollow be destroyed?"
Seraya was silent.
Then she whispered,
"No."
My heart sank.
"It can only be surrendered."
I frowned.
"Surrendered?"
She nodded.
"The power must be willingly given up."
I looked at my hands.
My silver magic was still glowing.
"Who has to surrender it?"
Seraya's eyes filled with tears.
"You."
Silence.
Sofia immediately shook her head.
"No."
Seraya looked at her.
"Liora…"
"No!"
Sofia stepped between us.
"There has to be another way."
Seraya looked at me.
"There may be."
Hope rose in my chest.
"What?"
She took a breath.
"The prophecy was never about death."
I stared at her.
"Then what was it about?"
Seraya whispered,
"Sacrifice."
The word echoed through the chamber.
And somewhere beneath Ravenshade…
the Hollow began laughing.