"Russel. What the hell is this?" Gabriel demanded

"Who the hell are you?" Russel snapped back, but I took a step forward, my eyes narrowing.

"That's not Russel." I say

The air shifted as the words left me.

"This is Malachi kom sangedakru. And you will kneel before him" a guard announced

"When you killed him-...somehow he found a way to upload himself into Russel's mind drive. I'm not sure how, but that's Sheidheda" Raven whispered to me, careful not to say anything about it being in my mind.

Sheidheda smirked, arrogance dripping from every syllable.

"Since my ascension the protocol has become rather simple, really. Kneel or die" he said

"Funny" I shot back, squaring my shoulders.
"Last i remember, I'm still Heda" my gaze swept across the guards, daring them to defy me.

Cadogans voice broke in. I almost froze, scared he figured out the flame was in me.

"Ordinary, I would relish the opportunity to recruit your forces to the cause, but unfortunately I have neither the time nor patience to suffer your primitive tribalism" he said, hand lifted, ready to tell the guards to fire.

"Wait" my voice cut through his command. He stilled, and the guards hesitated.

I turned, my voice firm, authoritative.
"You have a choice. Serve the rightful Heda- me- or stand and die. Or don't stand down and die. That's rather simple, isn't it?" I say

The silence stretched, heavy, until one by one, the guards bent their knees.

"Yes, Heda" they echoed

"Good." I said softly, satisfaction curling in my chest as sheidheda glared, his fury evident.

"Murphy" Raven called, snd we rushed over to him, untying his restraints.

"So they have invisible guards" he muttered

"And ray guns" I add, lips twitching despite the tension.

"I can accept that. But that needs some explaining" John said, pointing at Bellamy.

I ignore it.
"Tell me Madi's safe with Gaia" I say

Indras face tightened.
"We thought Gaia was with you" she said

John sighed.
"Madi's safe- for now." He said

I nodded, relief flickering but not holding.

"Retrain the soldier with him" cadogan ordered, pointing at Indra.

"Hey, no. She's with me" I snapped

"She was standing unrestrained by the throne. The only reason she is not dead is she was unharmed." Cadogan said coldly

Before I could respond, sheidheda lunged. But one of Cadogans still-cloaked guards appeared, blade sinking into him before he could reach his target.

"Enough." I barked.
"Leave a doctor with him. I need to speak with him after." My voice hardened, leaving no room for argument.

"I am the leader here. I will give you safe passage- as long as you listen to what I say. That means no killing any of my people without my permission. Or no key for you" I tell Cadogan

His eyes flickered, calculating, before he gave me a nod.

I turned to my guards.
"Spread the word. Heda is back. Everyone into their homes. No one touches these people without my order. Go" I say

"Yes, Heda" they answered in unison before leaving.

"Onward to the key" cadogan said smoothly, his smugness never faltering.

The walk through sanctum cut deeper than I expected.

"A fire burned castle surrounded by a city of garbage dumpsters. Everywhere human beings go is worse off for it. But thanks to us, we will transcend. Thanks to us, we will reach the promised land." Cadogan said, scanning everywhere.

"Oh, for Gods sake" I mutter under my breath, moving ahead of him.

"Tell me he's not serious" John said, stepping in next to Raven and I.

I wanted to laugh. Wanted to reassure them. But I couldn't- not with Cadogans eyes watching.

"Welcome to the party" Raven muttered

"Yeah, not gonna lie. Feeling a little out of the loop." John admitted

"Mutual, trust me." I said

"You said Madi was safe for now. What does that even mean? Why wouldnt she be safe in the first place?" I ask

"She's safe. She's with emori.... In the reactor. And she's not safe for reasons I won't say right now" he replies.

I narrowed my eyes, but he held up a hand.
"I know, I know. But believe it or not it was the safest place in sanctum." He says

Raven shook her head.
"What the hells been going on here?" She asks

"Hold." Cadogan ordered, cutting us all short.

I stepped toward him, steel in my voice.
"Look, I'm in a hurry. You have our friends. I would like to get back to them. Then to see my daughter. If you want to see yours, the flame is this way" I say

"New plan. You go. We'll stay here." He says

"Sir, you heard her. As long as our friends are out there, she won't risk their lives." Bellamy said carefully

"That's why these two are staying with us. Hurry along Diana. I don't want to be on this infernal moon a moment longer than I have to." Cadogan said smoothly

My gaze lingered on Bellamy, my gaze held a glare. But I was searching for something- reassurance, maybe, or resolve- before I turned and walked off. The flame was in my head. Yet here I was, walking toward nothing.

Now I just had to figure out what the hell to do next.

I paced for a while, thinking, trying to string together a plan. The voices of the commanders whispered in the back of my mind, guidance I hadn't asked for but needed now more than ever.

Then the alarms blared. The lights flickered and cut. Something had killed the power.

Then bugs swarmed in.

I sprinted through the chaos, following the sound of familiar voices until I reached them.

"Wait- Hold the door!" I shouted as I slipped inside.

"Diana." Raven breathed of relief

"What's in the bag?" Cadogan asked quickly

"Antitoxin, from the farmhouse." I answered

"For your daughter" he says, already knowing.

"Enough for all of us. But yes, I was thinking of Madi before you." I said, i hesitated before handing the bag to Bellamy to pass out.

"Another lesson in the destructiveness of familial love" Cadogan said

"Yeah, I heard all about it while becoming a so-called disciple" I shot back, moving to the locked door.

My fist bang against it.
"Do you have the flame or not?" Cadogan snapped

"If you open this door, I'll give it to you without a fight." I say

"All right, disciple Kelly. The door." Cadogan ordered. A guard fired, and the lock gave away.

John stepped in first, ever the cautious one. His voice drifted through- soft, almost breaking- as he called out to Emori.

Then I saw her.

"Madi" I breath

Her eyes widened, her small frame launching toward my arms.

"Mom!" She yelled

I held her close, she hadn't changed. It might have a been a year for me- but it was just days for her.
"It's okay. I'm here now. I'm here" I whispered into her shoulder.

When she finally pulled back, I turned to Emori, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"I'm glad you're safe. Thank you for watching Madi" I say

She laughed softly, relief spilling out.
"God, it's good to see you" she says

I didn't let go. Not yet.

But then Cadogan entered, the weight of his presence sniffing out the warmth of the moment.

He extended his hand.

I shook my head.
"I don't have the flame..... it's in my head" I say

"Gabriel has a device that can get the memories from it. All I have to do is not fight. Lay a hand on any of my people and you won't get it." I say, firmly.

"We can use the m-cap, don't fight it and we can see the memories" Cadogan said

"Wrong. The m-cap won't work. They aren't my memories, they are from the commanders before me. The only way is through the device Gabriel has." I say

Cadogans eyes narrowed suspicion sharpening into something darker.

"Then let's go back to Gabriel, shall we?" he said finally. But I could feel it in his tone, in the tension pulling taut around him.

He was running out of patience.

And I was running out of time.