[POV: Sofia Lanka]

"You were always the most exquisite failure of our father’s grand design, Sofia. Did you really think that hiding in the depths of the ocean or behind the flickering shields of a dying city would change the fundamental resonance of your blood? You are the Anchor, but even an anchor is just a weight intended to keep the ship exactly where the captain demands. And I, dear sister, have been the captain of this nightmare for far too long to let you drift now."

Caelum’s voice didn't echo; it vibrated through the very air of the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, a structure now encased in...