"No—no, wait!"
I spun in confusion, pressing my palm against my forehead like I needed to physically stop the chaos inside.
"So… when was that? When you made that deal with the old lady?"
"A month before the engagement day…" Vaylen replied carefully.
My heart thudded.
He continued, "When you knocked on our door that day, I was completely shocked. You looked exactly like Celeste, but what confused us even more was…"
He hesitated, glancing at Lucian as if asking permission to continue, "You were like a vessel without a soul."
I froze.
Lucian's grip on my hand tightened just slightly, so subtle anyone else would miss it.
But I felt it all the way to my chest.
"A vessel?" I echoed, my voice thin. "What does that even mean?"
Vaylen swallowed. "You didn't speak. You didn't react. Your eyes weren't… alive. You stood there like someone had placed you in front of us and just… left."
A cold ripple crawled over my skin.
