Finally, it was time. They stood in place, ready to detonate the bomb.
"Who knew this would come in so handy all these years later?" Victor tried to lighten the mood.
Alexander chuckled, but it was an empty sound. "Fate is a crazy thing," he said quietly.
The mountain groaned, the sound stilling everything in the forest. The sound wasn't like an earthquake, it was deeper. Stranger. As if the world itself had drawn in a breath and wasn't sure whether to exhale.
At the mouth of the clearing, Rhea stood motionless, eyes closed, palms hovering just above the mossy soil. Her lips moved in a near-silent chant, barely audible even to the werewolves gathered nearby. The air thickened around her, charged with layers of ancient magic. Beneath her feet, the ground shimmered.
"He's there," Rhea said, her voice distant. "In the deepest chamber. Watching. Listening."
"Asmodai?" Della asked, already half-turning toward Alexander.
