Chapter 69: The Weight of Losses

Liam's body ached.

His wrists burned from the silver chains wrapped tightly around them, his arms stretched above his head, secured to the cold stone wall.

But the pain was nothing.

It was distant, insignificant—compared to the weight in his chest.

Compared to what he had just seen.

Elena.

"I'm going to resurrect Behemoth."

The words echoed.

A whisper at first.

Then louder.

Then roaring.

Liam's pulse thundered, his breath coming in uneven exhales.

He felt sick.

This wasn't real.

This had to be a trick.

Elena would never—

But she had.

He had seen it.

Felt it.

The certainty in her voice.

The cold, detached way she had spoken to Trevor and Dexter—her own brothers.

Like they didn't matter.

Like nothing did.

The portal flickered.

And then—it vanished.

Taking her with it.

And in its place—