45.

Ace’s grip on my arm tightened, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that bordered on a glare. The weight of his gaze made my heart pound, as though he was debating something I wasn’t privy to.

“Mom!” Liam’s voice rang out, desperate and frightened, echoing from the other room.

I jerked away from Ace, his hold slipping as I rushed to the metallic door. My fingers scrambled against the cold, smooth surface, trying to force it open, but it didn’t budge. A wave of dread washed over me, knotting my stomach into something ugly and suffocating.

“Mom!” Liam cried again, louder this time, his voice breaking.

My hands trembled as I slammed my palm against the door, panic setting in. “It’s not opening,” I stammered, my words shaky as I glanced over my shoulder. Ace was already behind me, his presence solid and unnervingly calm.

“What’s going on?” he asked, stepping closer, his voice low but sharp with urgency.

“The door—it won’t open.” My breath hitched, the air around me feeling thinner as Liam’s cries continued. “Liam, hang on!” I called, trying to keep my voice steady for his sake, though I was unraveling. “I’m coming. The door is jammed. Just hold on.”

My words were meant to reassure him, but they rang hollow, even to me. I swallowed the lump in my throat as a horrifying thought crept in—this can’t be happening. Not here. Not now.

Out of nowhere, the idea struck me like a physical blow: villain aliens. My mind spiraled, imagining invaders infiltrating our ship, targeting us.

Ace’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. “Metallic doors don’t just jam,” he muttered, his brows furrowed, his jaw tight with frustration.

Without another word, he balled his fist and slammed it against the door, the metallic clang reverberating through the air. My breath quickened as I leaned back against the wall, trying to steady myself, but the rising panic made my chest ache.

“Ace, what’s happening?” I choked out, desperation leaking into my voice.

From behind me, Xander’s voice filtered through, slightly distorted but tinged with concern. “What’s going on?”

I spun toward him on instinct, my feet moving before my brain caught up. “I don’t know!” My words came out in a rush, my breathing uneven.

“I was out there when I heard Liam screaming,” I continued, my voice thick with fear. “I ran over, but the door—it won’t open. Ace tried, but it’s like it’s locked from the inside, or jammed. I don’t know what’s going on!”

Xander’s gaze flicked to Ace, and their silent exchange sent another wave of unease through me.

“I think it’s the same as before,” Xander murmured, his words heavy with implication.

Before I could ask what he meant, the sound of static filled the air, followed by a voice—deep, menacing, and utterly foreign.

“If you want your kid to live, tell Ace to show himself on Xalaria.”

The voice cut out abruptly, leaving behind a suffocating silence.

The weight of the words hit me like a physical blow. My knees nearly buckled as tears filled my eyes. Liam—my son—was being used as leverage.

“They’re taking him.” My voice cracked, the realization too much to bear. “They’re taking my son!”

Suddenly, the spaceship lurched violently, spiraling out of control. The metallic walls groaned as if they were alive, threatening to give in. Amid the chaos, I turned to see Ace standing by the door, his hands glowing with an otherworldly blue fire.

Without hesitation, he raised his arm, his fingertips alight as the flames licked hungrily at the metallic door. The metal hissed and melted under the intense heat, turning into glowing embers before crumbling into ashes. The sight was both terrifying and mesmerizing.

The hole in the door grew larger with each passing second until Ace pulled his hand back, the fire extinguishing instantly as if it obeyed his command.

I didn’t wait for anything else. The moment the opening was big enough, I launched myself through it, dashing toward my son.

“Liam!” I cried, wrapping my arms around his small, fragile body. His frame felt stiff in my embrace, and when I pulled back to look at him, his face was blank. Emotionless. It sent a shiver down my spine.

“Are you hurt? Let me see,” I murmured, my hands frantically checking him for injuries. He didn’t resist, but his silence unsettled me.

“Who was here?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Liam’s gaze slowly shifted to the floor, where two unmoving bodies lay sprawled, their skin a dull grey and faces obscured by masks. My stomach churned at the sight of them, the gaping wounds in their torsos still oozing faint trails of blood.

I gasped, my heart pounding against my ribs. The air seemed heavier now, suffused with something dark and foreboding.

Ace and Xander crouched down beside the bodies, their movements cautious but deliberate. After a few moments, they looked at each other, a silent exchange passing between them before they spoke.

“They’re dead,” they said in unison, their voices grim.

I felt Liam shift slightly in my arms, his silence now more troubling than ever. Xander’s sharp eyes flicked to him, his expression unreadable.

“Liam, sweetie,” Xander said gently, his tone probing yet cautious. “Did you… did you do this?”

His words made me stiffen. Anger flared in my chest, and I pulled Liam closer, shielding him with my arms as if their mere accusation could harm him.

“How dare you even suggest that?” I snapped, glaring at Xander and Ace. “He’s just a child!”

“Zephyr,” Ace began, his voice calm but firm, as if speaking to a wild animal. “I know this is hard for you to process, but—”

“No!” I cut him off, my voice rising. “You don’t get to ‘but’ me! I’ve been with him every second of his life. He’s my son. I raised him. I know him better than anyone, better than you. He has no powers. He’s just a normal kid.” My breaths came in shallow bursts as my anger surged.

Ace’s gaze didn’t waver, his calm exterior only fueling my frustration. “Zephyr, I’m not accusing him. I’m trying to make sense of what happened here. There was no one else in this room. We both know that.”

“Someone was here,” I hissed, my voice trembling. “You can’t just—just assume Liam did this because you don’t have another explanation. There’s no way—no way—he’s capable of something like this.”

“Mom,” Liam’s small voice broke through my tirade, soft and hesitant.

I turned to him, my heart aching at how fragile he seemed. “It’s okay, baby,” I said quickly. “You don’t have to listen to them. I know you didn’t—”

“I did this.”

His words hit me like a blow to the chest.

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. My arms went slack around him, and I stared at his face, hoping—praying—to find some hint of doubt, some sign that he wasn’t certain of what he’d just said. But his expression remained blank, his eyes filled with something unrecognizable.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “No, you didn’t. You couldn’t have—”

“I did,” Liam said again, his voice steady.

The weight of his confession crushed me. My chest constricted, and for a moment, it felt as though the walls of the spaceship were closing in.

Ace and Xander exchanged another look, their faces grim with understanding I couldn’t yet comprehend.

“How?” I asked, my voice barely audible. “Why?”

Liam didn’t answer. He simply stared at me, his small frame trembling slightly, and for the first time, I saw it—the glimmer of something terrifying in his eyes.

Something I didn’t recognize.

Something I didn’t understand.