He got to Pier 17. There were three big SUVs. Broken wooden boards floated in the salty water under the dock. It smelled like rot. He stepped out of his car; his suit was neat but had dirt on it.
He walked to Warehouse 5. The doors hung from just one hinge. He pulled them open and went inside.
Three men stood around a metal chair. I was in it. My blonde was messy, and my cheek had a cut.
The locket on my neck glowed softly. Dmitri held a gun to my head
Alex's calm voice rang clear, but cold: "You're embarrassing yourself, Martin."
Martin laughed. His eyes were empty: "My father will see which son is worthy. Tonight, I cut out the weak link."
"Is this really about what our father will see?" Alex said in a calm voice
He ordered Dmitri. I closed my eyes as footsteps and words drew near. Then the lights died, leaving total darkness.
A gunshot echoed. I gasped. And Alex moved. His elbow hit Dmitri. The gun fell to the floor with a clatter. My ropes were cut open by a knife – it was like magic, muscles, and pure desperation all at once.
Alex's voice: "Elara, let's get out of here."
I leaned on him. We ran into a dark hallway, dodging crates. My head buzzed. My dress snagged.
He held me close.
We reached a side door, and cool air flooded me. He pushed me through. I blinked at the moonlight on the waves. We sprinted toward an SUV.
He pulled open the backseat. "Get in." I did. I turned and saw the warehouse collapsing behind us. Orange light glowed through cracks before everything fell.
Inside the car, I pressed myself against the window. Rain and a dark city rushed by. My cheek hurt. The locket burned against my skin. Alex looked at me in the mirror. His eyes were shadowed by guilt and relief.
"Are you okay?" he said softly.
I shook my head. "No… but yes." Tears formed.
He swallowed. "I was too late. I'm sorry."
"I'm safe now," I whispered. I touched the locket. "It saved me."
He answered quietly. "Yes."
We reached a hidden house. He led me inside and helped me sit. He cleaned me and applied a bandage. His hands are gentle.
I stared at him." Why risk so much?"
"Alex, what is this all about?" I asked him, looking into his eyes
His face glowed in the lamplight. "Because you saved me, too. Because I don't want to lose you."
"I don't know how to explain it to you now, but with you, I am safe."
I swallowed tears. "I'm not sure I belong in your world."
He took a breath. "You already do to me."
Outside, night grew heavy and dark. But inside, something powerful began: trust, born from fear. Martin's warning still hung in the air between us. Yet, the locker was warm and alive. And so did this new bond we shared.
The morning light shone through the soft curtains as I sat up, my cheek still hurting. Alex had told me to rest, but my mind was too busy to stay still.
Mira, the maid who works at Alex's mansion, whom I befriended, came in quietly, carrying tea on a tray. When she put it down, I realized she had something to say.
"Do you have something to say, Mira?" I asked in a calm voice
"Elara," she began softly, "I have something to tell you… something I should have told you"
I nodded, tightening my fingers around the warm gold locket. Mira took a deep breath
"There's more to your family than you know. My mother was like you, too. She had me at a very young age, so my father kicked her out of the house, so she came to work for the Milton Family." My heart skipped a beat. Another person like me? In Milton's family?
"She could cancel fire magic sometimes, to protect them when the prophecy threatened. But she disappeared under strange circumstances years ago." Mira's voice trembled. Then she pressed something into my hand: a thin silver ring with the same symbols as my gold locket.
"This was hers, "she whispered. "You can wear it if you want. It's a sign of trust. But be careful: It also brings danger."
"Why was this a secret?" I chattered.
Mira looked down. "The family was afraid of people like you. My mother tried to stay hidden, but Martin saw her as a threat. Like he is doing to you."
"Magic doesn't end with me," I whispered.
She nodded. "And there are more people like you – a hidden group here in the city. Humans who watch over magic."
"Are you also like me?"
Mira looked at me," No, it's not everyone, even if you come from the same family, it doesn't mean you can be the one."
"You have a choice, "Mira said gently. Use this power or hide yourself."
"Alex is helping me understand more," I said with a confident and calm voice.
"Elara, your mother was once a good friend of my mother. Before my mother came to work for the Milton she was so sad when she heard of your mother's car accident," She said with teary eyes.
"It was hard before because my father felt totally lost after my mother's death, but I'm happy he is doing fine as I am now, thank you, Mira," I said softly.
"Thank you, too, Elara," she said, squeezing my hand. "Stay strong. But don't lose yourself."
I looked at myself in the window. Elara Vaughn – a simple artist, I'm now pulled into a prophecy world. When I looked outside, life went on – the mansion staff moved around, birds sang in the courtyard. Inside, I felt completely changed, and I was starting to realize how simple life was before
That Afternoon, Alex came back to his mansion and we went to sit in his calm study, surrounded by old books on dark wooden shelves. Golden light steamed in, making dust motes glow in the air. He carefully unrolled ancient scrolls, their old pages covered in strange symbols.
"This is one of the earliest mentions of your family, "he said softly, running his finger over faded ink.
"Your bloodline is tied to a prophecy –either to our family's end or its healing. Your power was meant to bring balance."
I gasped. That explained everything: my sketchbook, the locket, and Martin's hatred; it was connected.
I shook my head. "But why hide it?" I asked softly.
"Because magic without control scares people. I was going to tell you one day when I felt like it was a good time," He said, looking in my eyes.
"So you saw Mira and me today?" I asked him, looking in his eyes back
"Yes, I did, I trust her, that's why I let her in today, he answered. "My ancestors chose fear over taking risks. They erased the records and tried to erase those who have power like yours."