SELENA POV

The battlefield stretched before me, a mixture of scorched earth, shattered magic, and the stench of blood. Ayla’s forces had regrouped, and the vampires and witches formed their lines, confident that I would falter. I could feel their arrogance, their overconfidence, and it fueled the fire that had been burning inside me since the moment I learned my parents were in danger.

Lyra stepped forward, her expression hard but tinged with remorse. “Selena, you need to know the truth,” ...