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Sierra

Ifelt utterly drained as Archer set me back on my feet, his eyes alight with a new spark of determination and - dare I say it - hope. The revelation about Lightsbane and Lightbringer being connected had transformed his entire demeanor. The tension that had been etched across his face for hours had melted away, replaced by a fierce, almost predatory excitement.

But despite the momentous breakthrough, something felt... off.

I pressed my hand against my lower abdomen, a dull, persistent ache making itself known. The initial elation I'd felt at our discovery was quickly being overshadowed by a heaviness I couldn't explain. My skin felt too tight, my nerves too raw.

"We should tell Rowen right away," Archer said, already gathering his notes. "And get a message to Callum?—"

"Can't we wait until morning?" I snapped, then immediately regretted my harsh tone. "I just... I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that."

Archer paused, his ice-blue eyes studying me with concern. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," I muttered, then sighed. "No, I'm not fine. I feel... weird. Like something bad is coming."

He set down his papers and approached me slowly, as if I were a wild animal that might bolt. "The shadow beast is gone for now, Sierra. And we have a plan."

"I know." I rubbed at my temples, where a headache was beginning to form. "I should be relieved. I am relieved. It's just..."

My voice trailed off as a particularly sharp pain lanced through my abdomen. I winced, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Maybe you should rest," Archer suggested, his hand warm on my shoulder. "You've been through a lot."

"I'm not an invalid," I bit out, then immediately covered my face with my hands. "God, I'm sorry. What is wrong with me tonight?"

Before Archer could respond, the door to his chambers swung open, and Callum appeared, his pale green eyes immediately finding mine. He moved with that effortless, predatory grace that still made my heart skip even after all we'd been through together.

"I felt your distress," he said simply, crossing the room in a few long strides. "What's happened?"

"We've had a breakthrough," Archer explained, excitement returning to his voice. "Sierra can read Angelic script—perfectly, with the correct accent and everything. And it turns out Lightsbane and Lightbringer are connected. I think I can transform one into the other using my Angelic blood."

Callum's expression remained impassive, but I could see the subtle widening of his eyes that indicated genuine surprise. "That's... significant news." His gaze shifted to me. "But you don't seem pleased."

"I am," I insisted, even as another cramp rippled through me. "I just feel... off."

Callum's nostrils flared slightly, and something like understanding dawned in his eyes. Without warning, he stepped closer and placed his palm flat against my lower abdomen. The touch was shockingly intimate, even though we'd shared far more than this. Heat flooded my cheeks.

"What are you—" I began, but he cut me off.

"You're cramping," he stated matter-of-factly. "Your scent has changed, too. Sweeter, but with an undertone of discomfort."

I stared at him, momentarily speechless. Now that he mentioned it, the dull ache I'd been feeling did resemble menstrual cramps. But I hadn't had a regular cycle since... well, since everything had started happening with Rowen and Callum and Archer.

"I... I haven't had a period in months," I admitted, confused.

Callum nodded as if this made perfect sense. "Your body has been under extraordinary stress. The attack from the shadow beast, the primal heat approaching, the constant danger—it's not surprising that your cycle would be disrupted and then return suddenly."

I blinked at him, stunned by his matter-of-fact assessment. "How do you know all this?"

A hint of amusement touched his lips. "Later. Right now, you need to lie down."

Before I could protest, Callum swept me up into his arms as if I weighed nothing. The sudden movement sent another wave of cramping through my abdomen, and I bit back a groan.

"I need to tell Rowen about Lightbringer," Archer said, hesitating by his desk.

"Go," Callum told him. "I'll take care of Sierra."