POV: Elena

I'd been dead. Or close enough that the difference didn't matter. My body was carved into pieces across three operating rooms. My consciousness screamed in agony until even thought became impossible.

Then the Mother Below had touched me. Put me back together. Given me power I'd never imagined. But power came with a price. Always with a price.

Now I stood among the chaos, watching my daughters argue about who would sacrifice themselves. Watching my children offer to die so ...