{ Mia }
The door creaked open, slow and deliberate — as if whatever was on the other side was waiting.
A rush of cold air spilled out, carrying the scent of metal, ozone, and something older… something wrong.
Ace stepped through first, shadows dancing across his arms. I followed close behind, pulse thudding in my ears.
The room beyond wasn't on any of Scarlett's blueprints.
It was circular, dimly lit by glowing lines etched into the walls — pulsing faintly, like veins.
In the center stood a single chair. Empty. But it felt… occupied.
The door slammed shut behind us.
Ace spun, his shadows lashing out — but they struck only stone. No hinges, no seam. Gone.
We were sealed in.
Scarlett's voice crackled in my ear, faint and garbled:
"—warning—interference—manual override—"
Then silence.
"Ace?" I whispered, staring at the glowing lines snaking across the walls.
He stepped in front of me, protective, eyes scanning every inch of the room. "This wasn't just hidden. It was buried — like it didn't want to be found."
The chair in the center shifted.
Not moved — shifted. One second it was empty. The next… a figure sat in it.
I sucked in a sharp breath. "That—wasn't there."
Ace raised a hand, shadows coiling around his fingers. "Who are you?" he demanded.
The figure didn't answer.
It was cloaked in silver — not fabric, but light. A shell of illusion, humming softly, masking everything but a vague human shape.
Then, a voice. Calm. Familiar.
"You're both moving too quickly," it said. "She's not ready. And you… you're interfering."
Ace froze.
My blood went cold. That was the same voice from the void.
The whisper. The thing that said I wasn't ready.
I stepped forward. "You've been in my head."
"Because you left the door open."
"What do you want?" Ace snarled.
The figure didn't move.
"To prepare her. Before the others find her."
"Others?" I echoed.
No answer.
The silver shell flickered, glitching for a second — and in that flash, I saw eyes.
Not human.
Not entirely.
But they were looking right at me.
"Now Mia—"
" Don't talk to her ! " Ace snapped stepping in front of me.
The pair of eyes lingered on me for a while before shifting to Ace.
" Zip it Hunter... She's old enough to know what's best for her."
I slowly looked up at Ace's. " What's he talking about?" I asked hugging him tightly.
He looked down at me his jaw tense and his eyes flickering with uncertainty. He held me tightly whispering. " Listen cupcake... Whatever happens don't listen to him alright?"
I looked at him confused.
Then, his hold on me tightened. " Did you hear me cupcake? Don't —"
His words echoed through my ears as his body flew across the room disappearing into thin air.
"Ace? Ace!! " I screamed tears brimming my eyes.
" Don't worry..." The man scoffed. " He'll be fine... As long as you do exactly as I say."
I nodded, mind racing for a plan.
But then, he moved.
The silver shimmer around his form began to ripple, peeling back like mist caught in sunlight. For a heartbeat, his figure glitched — light fracturing — and then it vanished entirely.
What was left made my heart stop.
He had my face.
Not the one from before. Not the messy-haired, shadow-blending, ordinary version of me.
No.
The new me.
The one I barely understood.
He had my blond hair. The same icy blue eyes that started glowing the night everything changed. Same jawline. Same build. Same age.
He was… me.
But male.
My knees almost gave out.
He tilted his head, watching my reaction — not with malice, not with smugness. With something deeper. Sadder.
"I thought it might hit you like that," he said quietly.
I staggered back. "What—what is this? Some clone? Illusion?"
"No tricks," he said. "No projections. No masks. This is me."
"No… no, it's not. It can't be—"
"You feel it, don't you?" he cut in gently. "That pull. That weird sense you've had all your life — like something was missing?"
I couldn't speak. My heart thudded so loud I barely heard him.
He stepped closer, eyes soft. "They separated us before we even knew words. Hid the truth. Buried it so deep that even you didn't know. But I did. I've always known."
I shook my head slowly, voice cracking. "Who are you?"
He smiled sadly.
"I'm your twin, Mia."
The room swayed.
He reached a hand out — not threatening, not commanding. Just offering.
"I'm the part they didn't want you to find."
The silver cloak shimmered back into place as he took a breath, eyes distant.
"You want to know how it all began?" he asked, voice low — like he was dredging up old ghosts.
"This isn't just about me or you. It's about why we were torn apart before we even had a chance."
He looked straight at me, but his gaze seemed to pierce through time.
"We were born the same night — twins, bound by blood and power. The same energy that runs in your veins, the fire you barely control? It flows through both of us."
He paused, voice tightening.
"When we came into this world, our parents were caught in something dark — a debt they couldn't pay. Powerful people wanted both of us, but couldn't have us together."
His jaw clenched, eyes shadowed with pain.
"So they made a terrible choice. They sent me away — handed me over to those dangerous people as payment. A bargaining chip. They told everyone I was lost... or dead."
I blinked, my heart pounding.
"They kept you hidden. Protected you. Secret. The last thing they wanted was anyone knowing there were two of us."
He shook his head slowly.
"But those lies didn't hold for long. When the truth came out — that two children with this power existed — the people hunting us came for our family."
His voice dropped to a harsh whisper.
"They killed our parents. Right in front of Ace."
I looked at him, wide-eyed.
"He hid you. Kept you safe. Even when they came for you, he never let them find you."
His eyes softened.
"That's why he's been so desperate to protect you. Because you're everything that's left."
A heavy silence settled between us.
I didn't know whether to feel anger or sorrow — or both.
But one thing was clear:
Our story wasn't over.
Not by a long shot.