Not long after the events of that day, I paid closer attention to mother. Once a week, she disappeared from the castle grounds. It took some tracking of her habits, but I discovered her secreting off into a cave within our adjacent mountain. I followed through the black rock, wet from the waterfall. The cave opened onto a cliff, and she soared away toward our old home.

Savis returned to the Great House, the home of her father. I entered discretely through a dilapidated portion of the roof. From within, I eavesdropped as mother spoke to another.

"Many of the Valkyrie side with us. They will fight for us once the attack begins."

"Wonderful news, Lady Savis." The man sounded genuinely relieved.

Her voice took on a sorrowful timbre. "Do not expect to live through this. We achieve both goals. To save Cinder, we must destroy the monsters within that shrouded cathedral."

Was she talking about Umbra and Xelan?!

"We cannot let the halfling bring about his abominations."

Abominations?

Mother agreed with him. "Make certain your men know to leave Nox alone. Once he mourns his brother, my son will fight for our cause." Her voice moved further from my perch. "Those smug Tritans believe my sons will serve them, but only Xelan champions for the enemy. I love him, but I cannot allow him to live."

"You make a noble sacrifice, Lady Savis. Your people will honor your name in the new age."

After that, I dropped through the ceiling. "Mother, you are mistaken. We champion ourselves much like you."

Savis startled only slightly, taking one step back.

The winged Icarus lunged at me. I grappled him to his knees with my hands positioned to break his neck. I didn't want to believe father. Couldn't fathom that my mother, the only source of love in my hellish life, was so cold. "You inform the insurrectionists?"

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She glared at me. "I am the last leader of the Old Ways."

"Father must know. This is why he poisons you. If he ever outright executed you, he would risk making a martyr out of you."

Savis barked an icy, haughty laugh. "Umbra poison me? No, son."

I frowned. "You? But why?"

"To keep his hands off me. He finds the weakness unappealing and seeks his amusement elsewhere." She took a step toward me with one hand outstretched.

I shook my head and jerked my hostage to stop her.

Mother lowered her hand. "I want to die, Nox. But I wish to rear you first. Into a King. Into the man who will lead our people to salvation. And then I can leave this befouled body behind. Tainted and used repeatedly by men that my father would smite with only a passing glance--" She choked on a sob. "This is my revenge."

"I know about Xelan. I care not. I love him as my brother."

She smiled, relieved and overjoyed. It disappeared almost as quickly as it came.

I tried to reason with her, "Mother, you once said you wouldn't negate him, unborn, because you felt his love within. Do you really believe he could ever be this monster you fear?"

Savis looked away with her eyes shut.

I saw this as getting through to her and pushed a little more. "But you must give up the Old Ways. Elden's Cinder is lost. You risk yourself and me and my brother with these games."

"No, we must continue to fight--"

I broke the man's neck and dropped him lifeless to the floor. "No, mother."

She fell to her knees and sobbed weakly. Her eyes filled more with distress than anger.

I stood over her and tried to reassure her. "Do not give up hope for one day I will deliver Cinder from those who would abuse us. But, this is no longer the path to salvation. We need a new Cinder. Not the old one."

"You cannot know what you have done."

"I finished it. Let Umbra serve his purpose for now. Our treatise with the Tritans is a delicate one. We will fight their wars until we are upgraded and strong. Then I will strike them down. And you will be with me... will you not? You and Xelan?"

For a long period of silence, we stared at one another. I could see her calculating the options left to her. She shared the next with me as if she never meant for me to hear it at all. "In the blackest light on the brightest planet, we saw the end of Cinder and all things. It starts with him. And ends with her."

My blood chilled at the finality of her tone and the conviction in her words. I shook off the shiver. "Please, mother. For now, rear him. Keep him safe. Leave the rest to me. I will look after Cinder."

"One day, you will recognize this moment as a nexus for you, my son. And when you look back on it, you will not like what you see."