Clara's POV
I stood frozen, my eyes wide in disbelief.
No. No, no… this wasn't real. It couldn't be.
Ciel was there—smiling—beside a woman who looked exactly like me.
My mind spun, a thousand questions clawing at my thoughts, each one sharper than the last. My feet moved before I realized it, carrying me toward them. I stopped directly in their path, but Ciel didn't so much as glance at me. Instead, he reached for her hand, steadying her as she stepped gracefully down from a ledge.
"Ciel," I called, my voice trembling.
Nothing.
It was as if I didn't exist.
I reached out, desperate to touch him, but my fingers slipped through his arm like mist. My breath caught. I was… a ghost.
Helpless, I followed as he led her away, their hands brushing, their smiles soft and private.
"This place is beautiful," she said—in my voice.
"I love coming here with you."
"I know, my love," Ciel replied in that warm tone that once belonged only to me. "I'll bring you here as often as you like."
Each word pierced my chest, yet… a strange warmth spread through me. A comfort, like the echo of a long-forgotten embrace, wrapped around my heart. Why? Why did watching them make me feel like this?
They stopped at a fruit stall, colors bright against the cobblestone street.
"Mmm, this is delicious. Ciel, try this," the woman said, lifting a piece to his lips.
He bit into it, smiling, and they laughed together.
I trailed them like a shadow, unable to pull myself away, until they reached a shimmering lake where a small wooden boat awaited. They stepped in, and I slipped in beside them. The boatman pushed us away from the shore, paddles slicing the water with a slow, steady rhythm.
"It's so beautiful," she whispered, leaning into him.
"It is, my love," he murmured back, pressing a kiss to her hair.
My heart twisted. This was a memory—or a dream—or something worse.
Then, without warning, the sky darkened.
Rain came in sheets, slamming against my skin. The water churned violently beneath us, rocking the boat like a toy in a storm.
Lightning split the sky. The boatman was gone. So were Ciel and the woman.
I was alone.
Wind howled, tearing at my clothes. My grip on the boat's edge slipped, fingers slick with rain. The boat tipped sharply, and before I could brace myself, the icy water swallowed me whole.
I kicked upward, fighting, but the waves shoved me down again and again. Cold stole the strength from my limbs. My chest burned as water filled my lungs. The world dimmed, my senses fading to black—
Ciel's POV
I stormed through the west wing prison with Jason at my side. The heavy iron door groaned as we stepped inside, shadows curling along the stone walls.
A woman sat chained to the wall, her hair veiling her face.
I approached and tilted her chin upward. My heart froze.
"Lila," I breathed—shock and fury warring in my voice.
No. It couldn't be.
But it made sense. If someone wanted to plant a spy near Serena, they'd choose someone I trusted completely.
"You…" My voice shook. "I trusted you for years. I treated you like one of my own. And this—this is how you repay me?"
Her lips trembled, but she stayed silent.
"Who sent you?" I snarled, fingers digging into her jaw. "Tell me!"
She shook, eyes wide, tears threatening.
I closed my eyes for a brief moment, swallowing the ache rising in my chest. I couldn't bring myself to hurt her—but I needed answers.
"Jason," I said, my voice hard as steel. "Interrogate her. Make her talk."
"Your Majesty—mercy! Please! I'm sorry!" Lila's voice cracked, desperation bleeding through every word.
I didn't look back. I couldn't.
Her screams followed me down the corridor, each one a blade twisting in my ribs. But I couldn't falter—not now. Not when Serena's life was still in danger.
By the time I reached the tall arched window at the end of the hall, the sun was dipping low, casting the castle in gold and shadow.
Lucien's wings would be fully healed by tomorrow. He would be ready.
Just a little longer, my love.
I will find you.
I will bring you home.