Chapter 17: Not Over Yet

I patted the dirt from my hands and looked up at the sky.

The clouds drifted by, careless, untouched by the pain below. The air was heavy with the scent of rain, and in that moment, I felt both impossibly small and impossibly strong.

“Big Ben, Mother won’t return my power to me. But that’s alright. I’ll still seek justice for you. If there’s no justice, I’ll fall with you.”

Somewhere, a meadowlark called out, and I stood, dust on my jeans, stubbornness set deep in my bones. I would not let the world forget us—no matter what came next.

I set my jaw, the promise echoing louder than thunder—this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.