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“You took the child.”

The entire world stops. Nobody breathes.

“What child?” I ask.

The Bride looks at Ezra.

His face tells me he genuinely doesn’t know.

“A daughter.”

Malakai takes one step backward.

Rhett whispers, “No.”

The Bride smiles. “Hidden before the Communion.”

My heart pounds.

“She had a child?”

“Yes.”

“Who?”

Her eyes move toward me. “Your blood.”

I feel sick.

Not because that’s horrifying. Because suddenly this isn’t some random ancient connection.

It’s a family line.

Mine.

“She escaped?”

“Ezra carried her beyond the boundary before the ritual began.”

Ezra stares at the woman. “I don’t remember.”

“The Harvest took what threatened the bargain.”

“His memory,” Malakai says.

The Bride smiles. “Pieces.”

Ezra looks furious. Not afraid.

“You took my memories.”

The thing laughs. “Your bargain took everything.”

The roots beneath us begin moving fast.

Malakai grabs my hand. “We need to go.”

The Bride turns toward me. “No.”