“Your father was adopted by a Nescient family that happened to live next to a Hellenicus family, your mother’s family. Your father, knowing he had to hide the fact that he was a Stavros, never told your mother, and your mother, thinking he was a Nescient, never told him she was a Hellenicus. They grew up not knowing each other’s true identity. Until”—a smile stretched across the queen’s face—“it was time for your mother’s first Gathering.”

I looked around the room. Everyone was enthralled by the queen’s story. I was sure they already knew all this, being Myrmidons, but they were listening so intently that it was as if they were hearing it for the first time as well.

“Your mother realized she was in love with your father and decided to forgo her first Gathering. She finally told him that she was a Hellenicus but was willing to leave it all behind to be with him. Your father urged her to forget him, to protect herself. But she refused, even when she found out his true identity. She knew that being with him would mean she would be putting herself in danger. Still, she chose to live in hiding with him. The childhood friends got married and had a daughter.” She gestured to me.

“But how did the Faction find them?”

“If we knew that . . .” She hung her head. “We would have been able to stop them. By the time we found out that the Faction knew of your existence, we could only save you.”

I felt a nudge on my arm and turned to see Officer Joseph Hudson offering a handkerchief. I realized that my cheeks were wet; I had been crying. I may have never met my parents, but my heart broke and ached for them and the rest of the Stavroses. I could never understand why someone would want to kill an entire bloodline. I wasn’t comfortable crying in public, so I asked to be excused. Even though I could see worry still dancing in her icy-blue eyes, the queen hesitantly agreed to let me go.

I was wheeled back to the Hyped with Officer Brad Warwick in the front and Officer Joseph Hudson in the back. Scarlet walked right beside me; she surveyed the surroundings like a hawk trying to identify potential threats. It was just a short trip back to my old unit in the Hyped, but the three of them were making it look like it was a major operation.

“I’ve read your file,” Scarlet stated. “I’m curious about your double click. How does it feel?”

How did they already have that information in my file? I gave her a one-word answer, as I wasn’t in the mood to talk. “Weird.”

“Hmm.” Scarlet did not seem to be satisfied with my answer. “Surely this can’t be the first time something like this has happened.”

“What?”