"I don't understand," I said, shaking my head as the heavy iron cuffs rattled against each other. I took a half-step closer, trying to pierce through his calm exterior. "You said you took the magic from your other children—from the babies—just to stay young and powerful. You killed them for it. Now you're talking about restoring a bloodline? Why do you need a ritual?"
My father let out a soft, patronizing sigh, as if I were a student failing a basic lesson. He stood up from his chair, pacing slowly toward the curtained window, though he didn't look out.
"Draining infant lunar mages keeps you fed, Rachel, but it doesn't build an empire," he said, turning his head back to glance at me with chilling indifference. "Yes, harvesting their raw magic over the years sustained me. It kept my body
