The silence in the room was unbearable, a suffocating weight that pressed against every heart. Mae could still feel the ghost of the void's presence, a lingering cold that gnawed at the edges of her mind. The others stood scattered around her, their expressions a mix of fear, disbelief, and rage, but it was Lucien who drew her gaze.
He stood a few feet away, still as stone, his eyes locked on nothing. A single tear slipped down his cheek, catching in the low light before disappearing into the shadow that clung to him. It was not weakness that made him cry, Mae realized, but something deeper, something far older than any of them could comprehend.
The air around them shifted, a tremor running through the floor, subtle yet unmistakable. The universe itself seemed to lean in, holding its breath. Mae's pulse quickened. She felt the change before she could name it, an instinct screaming that nothing would ever be the same again.
Riven's wings twitched, feathers shivering as if they too sensed the shift. Ashar's hand tightened on his sword hilt, his knuckles pale, his jaw set. Kaine was still gone, along with the babies, and no one dared to speak his name aloud, as though voicing it would make the loss permanent.
Something ancient was stirring, something that had been waiting for this moment. Lucien finally spoke, his voice low and steady, though every word carried the weight of inevitability. "We cannot stay here." It was not a suggestion.
The others turned to him, their faces hardening, some with agreement, others with confusion, but none dared to argue. Even Ashar's eyes flickered with the reluctant acceptance that came when instinct told you the enemy was far greater than what you could see.
Mae's hand trembled as she pushed herself upright, her body still weak from what had happened, her heart still pounding from the memory of what she had lost. But the fear did not stop her. She looked around the room, at the only people she had left, and she understood in that moment that their survival was no longer about winning a battle.
It was about escaping a war. Lucien's gaze met hers, and in his eyes she saw something she had never seen before. Not control. Not power. But the barest glimmer of fear. And then he said it. "They have started to move."
The air in the room felt thick, heavy with the weight of decisions that had already been made. The group moved quickly, gathering supplies and preparing to leave the safe confines of the room that had once felt like home. The urgency was palpable, each person consumed with their tasks, but Mae could feel the heaviness in the air, a tension she couldn't ignore.
Riven and Ashar were among the last to gather their things, their movements calm but filled with purpose. Mae sat quietly at the edge of the bed, watching them, trying to steady her breathing. Her body still trembled from everything that had happened—the birth, the loss, the overwhelming uncertainty that weighed on her heart. Kaine and the babies were still gone, and nothing made sense anymore.
Riven noticed her, his eyes softening as he approached her. He kneeled beside her, his expression reassuring but firm. "Mae, we're going to get them back," he said, his voice steady despite the tension. "I know this feels impossible right now, but we won't stop until we do."
Mae looked up at him, her heart twisting with both gratitude and fear. "How?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "How can we get them back when we don't even know where they've gone?"
Ashar, who had been quietly organizing their supplies, glanced over his shoulder and joined them. "We will find them, Mae. The Unseen aren't invincible. We know where they hide, and now that we understand what they've taken, we'll strike back." His voice was rough but filled with determination. "Kaine and the babies—they're part of something bigger now. They're not lost forever."
Mae nodded, though the doubt still lingered. She wanted to believe them. She needed to. "I know this doesn't feel like it right now," Riven continued, his hand resting gently on Mae's shoulder. "But we're in this together. All of us. And we'll bring them back. I swear it."
Mae gave him a weak smile, though her heart ached at the thought of what they had lost. The Unseen had taken Kaine and the babies, but that wasn't the only enemy they had to face. She could feel the change in the air, the shift in the very fabric of reality. Something far darker was coming, and Mae wasn't sure if they were prepared for it. But she didn't have a choice. She couldn't do this alone.
"Thank you," she whispered, though her voice cracked under the weight of everything. Riven gave her a gentle nod before standing up. Ashar followed suit, his hand lingering on Mae's shoulder for a moment before he turned to grab a few more items. They were all preparing for something that felt inevitable, but Mae could feel the distance between herself and them growing with every passing second.
Mae took a deep breath and stood, her legs still weak, but her mind clearer than before. She couldn't sit here, trapped by her own fear. She needed to move, to do something.
The others were focused on their preparations. Sethis and Lucien were already working together in the corner, packing the last of their supplies and securing the codex. The ship was almost ready. Mae watched as Sethis, his face unreadable, handed Lucien a small, glowing orb that seemed to pulse with energy. The codex. It was their key to everything that had come before, and everything that was to come.
Mae's eyes lingered on Lucien, who stood rigid, his expression hard as he meticulously secured everything. She felt a pull toward him, the same magnetic force that had been growing between them. But she didn't approach. Not now.
She needed space. She needed to clear her head. Without saying a word, Mae slipped out of the room and into the corridor. The ship was bustling with the preparation for their departure, but Mae was determined to take a moment for herself. The cool air of the hallway was a stark contrast to the suffocating heat of the room, and she welcomed the isolation. She moved toward the exit, her steps slow but purposeful, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts she couldn't keep still.
The planet outside was still dark, the stars stretching endlessly above them. Mae stepped into the open space, breathing in the fresh air, feeling the weight of her decisions pressing down on her chest. She had no answers, only questions. How could they find Kaine and the babies when they didn't even know where to start? And what was the war that was already unfolding around them?
As she walked, Mae allowed herself a moment of reflection. She closed her eyes, letting the cold night air clear the fog from her mind. The weight of the Void, of the Unseen, of what had just happened, still clung to her. But she couldn't stay trapped in this moment. She had to move forward. They all did.
By the time Mae returned, the preparations were almost complete. Sethis was waiting by the ship, the entrance open, his gaze cold and calculating. "Mae," he said, his voice steady. "We leave now. My planet is our best shot at hiding, at regrouping."
Mae nodded, the finality of the moment settling over her. It wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about escaping a war that was already tearing the world apart.
Sethis gestured for her to enter, and Mae stepped onto the ship, feeling the door close behind her with an ominous finality. The engines hummed to life, and they began to ascend into the darkness, leaving behind the planet and all the unanswered questions.