The Devourer had changed. After integrating the Rogue Seed, the ship sprouted new chambers deep in its core. Thick vines and pulsing walls covered the surfaces.
The air felt heavy, warm, and charged with raw hunger. Scans showed the resonance links between the family were fraying. If they didn't fix it soon, the Devourer would lose control again.
Elizabeth sealed the new sanctum. The doors fused shut behind her. "No one leaves until this is mastered," she said. Her voice was tight. The sharpened hunger hit her hardest.
Her possessiveness burned hotter than before. She looked at the others—Aiden, Sabrina, Luna, and Flora—with eyes that demanded total submission.
Sabrina stepped in last. Bruises from the Mirror Duel still marked her arms and ribs. Sweat and adrenaline clung to her skin. The new hunger mixed with her post-fight rush and made her restless. "You're locking us in like this?" she challenged. "After everything?"
