Water dripped from the bathroom tap as Liana wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt.
"What do you want again?" she asked Cain, trying to hide how scared she felt.
Cain laughed loudly.
"Why do you always act like I'm the enemy?"
"If you don't have anything important to say, I'm leaving," she said and turned.
But Cain's voice stopped her.
"I will show you something… something you must see."
Before Liana understood what he meant, her vision blurred.
The room melted.
The air twisted around her—
And suddenly she was standing in a different world.
---
THE PAST
The sun was brighter.
The buildings older.
The scent of fresh grass filled the air.
Beside her, Cain stood still, watching her face.
"Look," he said quietly.
Liana turned… and froze.
Two little children ran across a garden—
A small boy with bright eyes…
And a tiny girl chasing after him, laughing.
The little girl shouted:
"Kael! Brother, wait for me!"
Liana's heart slammed in her chest.
The boy—young Kael—turned back, grabbed her small hand and said:
"Don't run too fast, Liana. You'll fall. I'm here."
They looked so close…
So familiar…
So innocent.
Liana covered her mouth with her shaking hand.
"W-What is this…?" she whispered.
Cain stepped closer.
"This is your truth."
Before she could speak again, the vision cracked like glass—
And she was thrown back into the present.
---
BACK TO REALITY
Liana gasped, grabbing the bathroom sink for balance.
Her body felt heavy, her head ringing.
Cain was gone.
Not a trace of him.
Not even his scent.
Only his final words echoed in her mind:
"This is your truth."
Liana pressed her fingers against her temples.
"Kael… my brother?" she whispered.
"No. No, that can't be possible… that can't be true…"
Her chest tightened.
Her breathing grew unsteady.
"I have to find Kael," she muttered.
She rushed out of the bathroom, almost bumping into a group of students whispering about her.
She didn't care.
Her mind was spinning.
She hurried back toward the cafeteria, her heart pounding harder with every step.
Was Cain lying?
Why would Kael call her his mate if they were siblings?
Why didn't Kael ever tell her?
Questions flooded her mind as she pushed open the cafeteria door—
Completely unaware of what was waiting for her next.
Liana walked back into the cafeteria, but her eyes didn't look the same.
Something in her had changed.
Mira noticed first.
"Liana, are you okay?" she asked, but Liana forced a small smile.
"I'm fine," she lied.
Zara looked at her closely.
"You look… different."
"I'm just tired," Liana replied quickly and picked at her food without eating much.
Morris talked, Zara joked, Mira complained about class —
But Liana barely heard any of it.
Her mind kept replaying the same words:
"Kael! Brother…"
She swallowed hard.
She couldn't tell Kael.
Not yet.
What if Cain was lying?
What if everything she saw wasn't real?
Her stomach tightened each time Kael's name crossed her mind.
CLASS PRACTICE
After breakfast, they all headed to class.
Usually Liana loved practice — the magic, the learning — but today she couldn't focus.
She messed up simple spells.
Dropped her pen twice.
Forgot what the teacher asked.
Zara whispered, "Girl, what is wrong with you?"
Liana shook her head.
"Nothing… I'm okay."
But everyone knew she wasn't.
When practice finally ended, Mira stretched her arms.
"Hmm, I'm tired. Liana, you're going back to your mate's house, right?"
"No!"
The word came out too fast, too sharp.
Mira and Zara blinked.
Liana took a breath and forced her tone softer.
"I mean… not today. I'll stay with you guys tonight."
"Really?" Mira asked, surprised.
"Yes," Liana said, adjusting her bag and turning away before they questioned her more.
"I'll just… follow you both."
She started walking ahead, leaving her friends staring at each other.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
And Kael…
Kael had no idea she was avoiding him.