Morning light filtered through the nursery windows, pale and soft.
Lin Yue lay in bed with Auriel beside her, his tiny hand curled around her finger. She had not slept well, her mind turning over the events of the previous night—Uriel's sudden departure, the men in black suits, the document with the name of a man who was supposed to be dead.
She was about to close her eyes again when a familiar voice echoed in her mind.
[WAKE UP. I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU.]
Lin Yue blinked. "Now?"
[YES, NOW. THE BABY IS FINE. I HAVE ACTIVATED THE BABY MONITOR ON YOUR PHONE. YOU WILL SEE AND HEAR HIM AT ALL TIMES. HE IS SAFE.]
She looked down at Auriel, still sleeping peacefully, his tiny chest rising and falling.
She reached for her phone on the nightstand.
The screen showed a clear image of him.
She set the phone on the pillow beside him and carefully slid out of bed.
The moment her feet touched the floor, the world around her shifted.
