---- She stood up, brushing imaginary dust from her dress. "He screamed for you, you know. Cried for his mommy to save him. But mommy was too weak, too pathetic to protect her own child." "From now on, the Luna position is mine. The inheritance will go to my son. And you? You'll be nothing but a lowly slave for the rest of your miserable life." Something primal and savage rose up inside me. The grief, the rage, the sheer injustice of it all coalesced into pure, murderous intent. I smashed my head into the mirror, ignoring the glass that cut my scalp. My hand closed around the sharpest shard I could find. "Serena!" I snarled, lunging forward as far as the chains would allow. "I'm going to rip your throat out!" ---- But she was already backing away, her eyes bright with triumph. "Damon!" she screamed. "Help me! She's trying to kill me!" Heavy footsteps thundered down the hallway. Damon appeared in the doorway like an avenging angel, his face dark with fury. "What the hell is going on here?" "She attacked me!" Serena sobbed, throwing herself into his arms. "I was just trying to give her some water, and she went crazy! She said she was going to kill me and my children!" "Liar!" I spat, but Damon wasn't listening. His boot caught me in the ribs, sending me crashing back into the wall. Glass shards from the broken mirror scattered across the floor, several of them embedding in my skin. "Damon, I'm so scared," Serena whimpered ---- against his chest. "What if she breaks free? What if she hurts Ethan?" Damon's eyes were cold as winter when he looked at me. "Aria, I've been too lenient with you. Too forgiving. You've forgotten your place." "IT warned you what would happen if you threatened my family again. Did you think my words were just empty threats?" He began walking toward me, his intention clear in every step. "Time for you to learn some respect." But as he raised his hand to strike me, something unexpected happened. The pendant around my neck-the one that had been dormant for years-suddenly erupted with brilliant silver light. The radiance was so intense that Damon had to shield his eyes. Power flooded through the room, ancient and ---- undeniable. The door to the servants' toilet exploded inward, torn from its hinges by invisible force. A group of elderly figures in ceremonial robes stood in the doorway, their faces grave and their eyes blazing with righteous anger. "who dares harm our Child of the Moon?" Elder Magnus's voice boomed through the small space, carrying the weight of centuries of authority.