Betrayal

I was sitting near my children's beds—Cassian, Dorian, and Kane—embracing them while my gaze couldn't detach from Cierce's movements. She walked around the den, seemingly oblivious to the whirlwind of thoughts and revelations boiling within me.

Cierce, my friend, a constant presence in my life, felt so distant at that moment. Uncertainty settled in as I stroked Kane's sleepy head, questioning whether Cierce was truly capable of betrayal or if, like all of us, she was a victim of Jeff's elaborate plan.

Unresolved events piled up in my mind like missing pieces of a complex puzzle. Why did Caleb, Jeff, and the other banished ones kidnap my children? What did they hope to gain from it? And Ignis, what role did she play in this sinister plot?

Cassian broke the silence, staring at me, inquiring about my thoughts. “What are you