*******HARPER
Aliya sat cross-legged on the couch across from me, her elbows resting lazily on her knees, eyes locked on me like she was bracing for the storm of everything I had to unload.
I didn't even know where to start. My mind had been running in jagged loops for hours, all the events slamming into one another like shards of broken glass.
I drew in a breath, my fingers curling tightly into my lap. "Aliya… you're not going to believe half of this."
Her lips curved faintly. "Try me."
So I did.
I told her about CODE, about the system, about the strange missions that felt like they had been carved out of my nightmares. I told her about the mayor—his strange behavior, the confrontation, the sudden gunshot that ended his life. I told her about the way the forest seemed to watch us, and how nothing in this realm felt entirely real.
And then… I told her about my father.
Her face stayed steady, but I caught the flicker in her gaze when I said it—the murder, the unanswered questions, the hollow ache of not knowing why.
By the time I stopped talking, my voice had dropped to something cold and steady. My hands weren't clenched anymore—they were resting on my knees, palms open, like I had let the words flow out of me until nothing was left to grip.
"The person who killed the mayor…" I said slowly, my eyes narrowing as I pieced it together in my mind, "is the same person who killed my father. I know it."
Aliya's head tilted, but she didn't speak.
"I'm going to find them," I said. My voice wasn't trembling—not anymore. The fear had burned away, leaving only a sharper, colder determination. "I don't care how long it takes. I don't care what the system throws at me. I'll find them."
The room felt too still. The air between us hummed with the weight of my vow.
And then, like a spark leaping in my chest, another thought struck me.
"My mom."
Aliya blinked. "What about her?"
"I haven't… I haven't seen her since this started." My heart lurched painfully. "Aliya, I need to see her. I need to make sure she's safe."
Before she could respond, a familiar voice cut in from behind me.
"You're not going alone."
I turned to find Luna standing there, arms folded, her usual calm gaze fixed on me. "If you're going to see your mother, I'm coming with you."
Part of me wanted to argue, to say that this was something private. But another part—the part that had learned the hard way how dangerous this realm could be—knew she was right.
"Okay," I said finally.
Aliya shifted on the couch. "Then I'll come too."
Luna's expression didn't change, but her tone was firm. "That won't be necessary. We don't want to risk startling Harper's mother with too many visitors."
I hesitated. Aliya's brows drew together slightly, and I felt a pang of guilt. But Luna had that unshakable certainty in her voice again.
"…She's right," I admitted. "Aliya, maybe it's better if you wait here. I'll come back after I've seen her."
Aliya gave me a small smile, though something about it felt… almost too perfect. "Alright. I'll be here."
Luna opened the door, and I stepped out into the sunlight with her. The door closed behind us with a soft click.
-----------
The moment Harper and Luna were gone, the quiet in the house shifted—thickened.
Aliya exhaled slowly, her shoulders loosening. Then a thin trail of dark energy seeped from her skin like smoke, curling and twisting until it pooled in the air beside her.
From the black haze, a figure emerged—tall, broad-shouldered, his movements unhurried. Lord Vaelthor settled lazily into the armchair opposite her, his crimson eyes gleaming faintly in the dim light.
Aliya's posture didn't falter. "What's your plan, Vaelthor? And why are you using me to execute it?"
His lips curved in a slow, predatory smile. "Careful, little one. Ask too many questions, and I might kill you."
Her chin lifted defiantly. "If you kill me, whatever plan you're working on will fall apart."
That earned her a soft chuckle. "Smart." He leaned back, one arm draped casually over the side of the chair. "I'm using you because, by staying within you, I can remain close to my other half. That way, we both stay… sane."
Aliya's eyes narrowed. "Your other half? I thought the plan was to kill Harper."
The smile vanished.
In one fluid motion, Vaelthor was in front of her, his hand wrapping around her throat. The pressure was enough to make her breath hitch, though he didn't squeeze—yet.
"Let me make something very clear," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. "If you so much as lay a finger on Harper, I will end you. Slowly."
Her fingers twitched at her sides, but she didn't fight him.
"I don't like it when someone touches my belongings," he continued, his grip tightening just enough to send a warning through her nerves. "Keep your little claws out of her, or I'll rip them off."
"Fine," she managed, her voice hoarse.
He released her, and she staggered back a step, rubbing her neck.
Then that smile returned, sharp and knowing. "Now… why don't we go and pay Harper's mother a visit, hm?"
Aliya met his gaze for a moment, then gave a short nod.
Vaelthor's laughter rolled through the room, low and echoing, the kind of sound that made shadows stretch longer on the walls.
*********HARPER
The walk to my house felt longer than I remembered. My steps slowed as we neared the familiar front gate, my heart pounding harder with each one.
When Luna and I finally stepped inside, the air felt heavier—quiet in a way that wasn't comforting.
"Mom?" I called, my voice catching slightly.
No answer.
Instead, from the living room, Elias stepped out. His expression shifted when he saw me—something between relief and hesitation.
Beside him stood a young woman -the mayor's biological daughter.
My stomach knotted. "Where's my mom?"