Prologue
The full moon hung heavy in the sky, its pale light piercing through the narrow openings of the underground chamber. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone, sweat, and something metallic blood. A woman, cloaked in shadow, stood trembling over two newborns, her breath coming in short, frantic gasps.
One child lay nestled in her arms, his small body impossibly still, yet his presence seemed to hum with something unspoken. The other, wrapped hastily in silken cloth, whimpered weakly, his cries uneven, laboured—as if even breathing was a battle.
Her hands shook. This was not how it was supposed to be.
A distant crash echoed from above, followed by a muffled shout. The flickering torchlight wavered as if it, too, feared what was about to happen. The woman swallowed hard, her mind racing. There wasn’t much time.
She knelt beside the one in silk, pressing a hand to his tiny chest. His heartbeat fluttered against her palm, uncertain—weak. A streak of unnatural colour glowed in his barely-open eyes before fading, leaving behind an emptiness that made her stomach twist.
No. This could not be.
Her gaze darted to the other child—the one in her arms. There was no question, no hesitation. His mere presence was undeniable. Even now, with his tiny fingers curling in sleep, he already commanded the space around him. His breath was steady. His form unmarked. He was meant to be.
A second crash—this time closer. Sparks rained from the ceiling as something above gave way. Smoke seeped through the cracks. The fire was spreading.
She had to move. Now.
With a final, shuddering breath, she made her choice.
In one swift motion, she switched the two bundles. The ragged cloth swallowed the stronger child, while the silks embraced the weaker one. No one would know. No one could know.
She clutched the bundle to her chest and turned toward the stone passage. Just as she reached the threshold—
The fire burst through.
Flames roared to life behind her, swallowing the chamber in an instant. The heat clawed at her back as she stumbled forward, shielding the infant with her own body. Smoke curled around her like a living thing, eager to consume whatever remained.
She didn’t look back.
She didn’t dare.
Because behind her, the past was burning.
