Page 99 of The Midnight Death Match

“They’re hers,” I say simply. “Different pieces of her, scattered and remade. He sees that, and he’s desperate for more time with her. We give her that.”

I watch as Runa climbs onto Einar’s lap, her small hands tracing the unfamiliar broadness of his shoulders. “They know he’s safe. That he’s ours.”

Ours. The word echoes in my mind as I turn back to the shield. Whatever Vivvi’s game, whatever price she’s extracted, she’s given us something precious. Not just my father’s life,but time. A chance to prepare, to understand, to grow stronger together.

The etchings blur as I stare at them, then suddenly sharpen. There—a pattern I hadn’t noticed before. Lines that connect the symbols, forming a web across the shield’s surface. Not random, but purposeful.

“Harek,” I breathe. “I think… I think it’s a map.”

He leans closer, following my gaze. “Of what?”

“Connections, relationships. Threads that bind us all together.” I trace the pattern with my finger, feeling the metal warm beneath my touch. “Blood and choice. Love and loyalty. Things that make us stronger than the sum of our parts.”

A log shifts in the fire, sending sparks up the chimney. My youngest sisters’ laughter mingles with my father’s voice, and for a moment, the future doesn’t seem so frightening.

We have each other. We have time. And somewhere in these ancient etchings lies the key to understanding what comes next.

Whatever Vivvi’s price, whatever Lys’s true purpose, we’ll face it together.

Family. The strongest magic of all.