Mira’s POV

We pulled Kessen’s body out of the collapse site at dawn. He was breathing. Barely. Lyra checked his pulse. “His wolf is unstable. But alive,” Cyrus said, “The third voice wasn’t his.” Kael said, “It was the Architect’s tether. They’ve been waiting for him to activate.”

I said, “He resisted. That matters.” Lyra looked at me. “Only because you reached him.” Elen asked, “Can we undo what they forced into him?” Rema answered. “Not all of it.” Her ...