The castle rarely kept secrets for long. Its walls listened, its corridors murmured, and the maids always knew more than they let on.But this time, it wasn't them.
It was Kaelis Moura who discovered it.
I was in the greenhouse, trying to breathe fresh air. I had brought the iron chest with me, still chained, as if the closeness of the plants could somehow smother the pressure in my chest.
The doll's whispers hadn't stopped since the night before. Even under lock and key, its words seeped into my mind:
"Let me in… together we'll be strong… you and I are the same."
I pressed my forehead against the chest, trembling. That was when I heard footsteps behind me.
"I knew you were hiding something." Kaelis's voice cut through the air like a blade.
I turned instantly, my heart in my throat. Kaelis stood at the entrance, arms crossed, her expression hard as steel.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, too quickly, too nervously.
Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the chained chest at my feet."That's what I was going to ask you. What the hell have you been dragging back with you from the capital?"
I tried to cover it with my cloak, but Kaelis had already stepped forward."Don't bother denying it, Nyx. Since you returned, something's wrong. Your stare, the shadows under your eyes, the icy air in your room. You think no one notices, but I do."
The shadows at my feet stirred, mirroring my agitation."You don't understand," I whispered.
"Then explain it," she said, her tone firm but not cruel. "Because what I see is someone playing with fire—and that fire is about to burn all of us."
The chest vibrated suddenly, as though whatever was inside responded to the conflict. A heavy thud echoed from within, and both of us tensed.
Kaelis instinctively drew her dagger."What do you have in there, Nyx?"
I couldn't answer. Fear and guilt choked me.
That was when Selene came running in, drawn by the noise. Seeing us, she immediately stepped between Kaelis and me."Enough!" Her voice was louder than I expected. "Nyx isn't alone in this."
Kaelis stared at her in disbelief."You knew?"
Selene lowered her gaze for an instant, then nodded with determination."Yes. And I won't let anyone force her to abandon what she carries."
Kaelis clicked her tongue, furious."Have you both lost your minds? That's not a toy—it's a threat!"
The chest thudded again from the inside. The chains rattled, and a cold whisper cut through the greenhouse, audible now to all three of us:
"I'm not your enemy… I'm your reflection."
Kaelis went pale, the dagger trembling in her hand."By the gods… that thing speaks."
I clenched my fists, unable to decide. Selene at my side, Kaelis in front of me, and the doll inside—beating like a forbidden heart.
I knew that sooner or later, I would have to choose between trusting the porcelain voice… or the two women who shared my fate.