The words carved beneath the mural struck me harder than any impact I had ever taken in my life. The Heart was never meant to survive. The phrase repeated in spiraling patterns across the stone as if the Moonborn had wanted this warning seen from every angle. My stomach twisted painfully as my gaze drifted from the glowing inscription to the image of the baby in the cradle. The baby looked so fragile in that carved stone cradle. The baby looked helpless, powerless, unaware of the fear it inspired. The baby carried my mark.
My breath stuttered as Talon stepped behind me and placed a steady hand on my shoulder. His warmth pressed against my skin with careful reassurance. His touch steadied the parts of me that wanted to collapse onto the floor. I stared at the mural with a rising storm of d
