The room took a few minutes to settle. Jack scrounged for food, Rugr argued briefly with Bitter about the bed—then gave up, deciding to complain to Kleo instead.

  Jack caught Will and Maya exchanging a quiet, tender kiss near the doorway. He tried to hide his smile. Although he still didn’t grasp their complicated history, seeing them share that gentle intimacy amid all this chaos reminded him there was always room for hope.

  When they finally gathered around the table, Maya took charge.

  “Will and I will lead the discussion. You know more about the box, Markus, and Astiria’s history. Your insights are crucial for us to understand exactly what’s happening—who’s involved, their motivations, and how we proceed.”

  No one objected. Maya turned immediately to Rugr.

  “Rugr, does the second Demana sanctuary pose a real threat to Astiria?”

  Rugr considered his answer carefully. “The mere existence of the second sanctuary would raise dangerous questions—the kind Astiria’s leadership could never tolerate. If the sanctuary knew how to find or access Astiria, they’d pose a serious threat, at least from Markus’s perspective. Either way, it’s a risk Markus and Barto can’t allow.”

  Will leaned forward. “Then it’s possible this presence—this ‘goddess’—is trying to locate Astiria?”

  “That’s probably what Markus and Barto fear most. But…” Rugr hesitated, frowning. “Keep in mind my thoughts are subjective, but this presence doesn’t feel strategic. It feels personal.”

  Maya tapped the table thoughtfully. “Speaking of personal—why exactly were you and Kleo chosen to retrieve the box in the first place? You’re both capable, but if the plan was to dispose of you afterward, why not send someone expendable?”

  “Because,” Kleo spoke up, “it is personal. Somehow, I have a connection to whoever is in that box. Markus knew if something happened to me, Rugr would tear Astiria apart to find out why. To eliminate me, they’d have to eliminate Rugr as well.”

  Jack interrupted, mouth full of carp. “Maybe Markus thought you were a security risk, that you might give away Astiria’s location.”

  Rugr shook his head. “Impossible. Kleo doesn’t know enough to compromise the community.”

  “You’re the risk, then,” Jack shot back. “Maybe Kleo was just collateral damage.”

  Rugr’s frustration surged. “Markus would never kill his own daughter.”

  Jack’s response was calm, almost casual. “Except she’s not really his daughter.”

  Silence fell abruptly. Rugr stared at him, stunned. “What?”

  “Think about it,” Jack said. “Kleo’s ‘mother,’ Nima, ignored her completely, and Markus—though better—did little more than check in on her. I mean, he let you raise her, Rugr. No offense, but that’s not exactly parental devotion.”

  Will interjected before Rugr could react. “Jack has a point. Markus placed severe restrictions on Kleo’s training. This mission was the first time she was allowed to leave Astiria, correct? If the ultimate goal was to eliminate her, she must be the real threat, not Rugr.”

  Rugr started to object but paused. The logic was hard to deny. Yet, if Markus and Nima weren’t Kleo’s parents, who were?

  Maya guided the conversation forward. “If Jack’s theory is true, is Kleo’s heritage the threat, or is it something else entirely?”

  They all turned to Rugr. He remained silent, looking uncomfortable.

  “Rugr?”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  He glanced at Kleo, reluctance evident in his eyes. “It’s something else.”

  “Care to elaborate?” Maya pressed.

  He shook his head. “No.”

  Jack groaned impatiently. “Come on, Rugr. Spit it out. It’s late. I’m exhausted, and if you don’t start talking soon, I’ll collapse right here.”

  “I’ll speak when I’m ready,” Rugr snapped. “In the meantime, shove some more food in your mouth and let the adults talk.”

  “Father,” Kleo said, placing a calming hand on Rugr’s arm, “it’s all right. I already know.”

  Rugr sighed, then nodded.

  “Kleo is different. She always has been. I tried to ignore it, hoping she could have a normal childhood. I wanted her to stay carefree, innocent, untouched by her destiny for as long as possible.”

  The room waited, sensing the weight Rugr carried—the deep, fierce protectiveness of a father who wished only for his child’s happiness.

  Finally, he spoke, as though releasing a truth he’d hidden for too long.

  “Kleo is Arch Demana—a supreme being, born once every thousand years, possessing unparalleled power and talent. The Arch Demana aren’t only exceptional—they’re legendary figures, meant to lead our people against forces of darkness—those who seek the destruction of life. Enemies who thrive in shadows, driven only by death. The Dark Lords, the plague-bringers—the Sa Kamal, whose only goal is to consume worlds, unravel creation, and plunge everything into oblivion.”

  The group sat stunned, absorbing his words. Kleo struggled under the weight of his words. She knew it was true, but hearing it spoken aloud shook her.

  Rugr’s voice softened. “We needed her three hundred years ago, on Demana. We failed, and our world fell. Ever since then, the darkness has spread. It’s only a matter of time before this world, and countless others, are reduced to ash. I’ve witnessed it once—I never wish to see it again.”

  Maya closed her eyes, taking a deep, steadying breath. The hour was late, and they all needed rest. But one crucial question still hung unanswered. Maya knew the answer but wouldn’t be the one to voice it.

  “If everything we’ve discussed is true,” Maya began, guiding Kleo toward voicing the revelation, “then the identity of the person in the box can only be one person. Someone desperate to find Kleo—not because she is Arch Demana, but because…”

  Maya let her words fade into silence, waiting.

  Kleo’s hands shook; tears glistened in her eyes. Jack reached out and placed his hand over hers, giving her strength. He knew.

  Kleo swallowed hard, her voice trembling but sure. “Because she’s my mother.”

  Kleo stood off to the side, her head buried against Jack’s chest, muffled sobs shaking her shoulders. Maya watched, her heart aching for the girl. She couldn’t fully understand Kleo’s grief—Maya’s loss had been tangible, something held and then painfully taken. Kleo’s was different. It was an emptiness felt all her life, now made real.

  Maya rose and guided Kleo back to her chair. Kleo’s face was flushed, her breath unsteady. The effort of voicing the revelation had left her trembling and exhausted.

  “Kleo,” Maya asked, “can you manage a few more minutes? There’s still a bit we need to discuss. Afterward, Jack can take you to rest.”

  Kleo nodded weakly, “A few more minutes. I’m fine.”

  Maya glanced around the table. Rugr sat stoically, his expression tense. Silence lingered, heavy and uncertain, until Maya finally spoke again.

  “Let’s try to piece everything together,” she said, her voice steady but gentle. “Astiria discovers an Arch Demana child has been born. They abduct her, hiding her in their secret realm. Markus, Nima, and Rugr are assigned to watch over the child. The mother, devastated, searches the continent, perhaps the world, exhausting all conventional methods. Desperate, she resorts to an ancient Kull spell, dividing her existence between worlds to locate Kleo. Astiria realizes this, sees her as a threat, and sends Rugr to dispose of her remains—hoping to permanently sever her connection to Kleo. Fearful that Kleo’s powers will awaken, Markus and Barto decide Kleo herself must be eliminated. Rugr, as her protector, becomes expendable too.”

  Rugr’s expression darkened, his voice low. “Sounds correct. I also suspect Markus and Barto suppressed Kleo’s Kadas Shadoom. Demana transformations typically occur before age fifteen. Kleo is nearing twenty-three. Even for an Arch Demana, such a delay is unheard of.”

  Maya’s brow furrowed. “The question remains, how did they know about Kleo’s true nature so early? Could they detect the magic somehow, or is someone from the second sanctuary communicating with them? And then there’s the Kull magic. Extraordinary.”

  Rugr’s shoulders tensed, eager to move forward. “The speculation changes little about our plan. We retrieve the box and head for the desert sanctuary. We won’t find answers sitting here—we’ll uncover more as we go.”

  Jack interjected, sensing Kleo’s increasing exhaustion. “It’s been a long day. Kleo needs rest—I think we all do. Let’s decide on specifics in the morning.”

  Kleo looked up, her exhaustion plain. Rugr stood, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Jack’s right. Rest now. We leave tomorrow as soon as everyone’s ready.”

  The group dispersed, each weighed down by the revelations. As Jack guided Kleo toward their room, she paused, looking back toward Rugr.

  “Goodnight, Father,” she whispered.

  Rugr’s expression softened, the tension easing from his features. “Goodnight, daughter. Sleep well.”

  Jack closed the door behind them, suppressing a smile as he heard Rugr grumble into the silence:

  “Now, what in gods’ names am I supposed to do about this damned wolf?”