POV: Vera Blackthorn
"Sister Blackthorne!" called Marcus from across the falling room. He was one of the younger converts, barely five years with us. "What's happening? Why is the temple coming apart?"
"She's gone," I said numbly. "The Mother is gone."
"Gone where? When will she come back?"
I looked at his young, hopeful face and felt something break inside my chest. "She's not coming back, Marcus. It's over."
"Over? But she promised us eternal meaning. She promised we'd remake the world."
"She lied," I said angrily. "Or maybe she just lost. Either way, we're finished."
A chunk of stone nearly hit Marcus as he stumbled toward me. "There has to be something we can do. Some way to bring her back."
"There isn't," I snapped. "Don't you understand? We gave up everything for her. Our families, our packs, our lives. And for what? So she could leave us the moment things got difficult?"
Marcus looked like I'd slapped him. "You don't mean that."
