KIERAN'S POV —
The neutral ground is exactly what it sounds like—neutral.
An ancient forest clearing halfway between Nocterra and the Tidelands. The trees here are old, massive things that look like they've been standing since the beginning of time. Moss covers everything. The air smells like earth and rain and old magic.
Ravion has his hand on my lower back as we approach.
Behind us, six of his best guards spread out in a defensive formation. Ahead, I can see where the clearing opens up— And where the Sea God waits.
Nyx stands at the far edge of the clearing, arms crossed, looking exactly like Ravion described: powerful, and deeply annoyed to be here.
He's dressed simply—loose dark pants, shirt unbuttoned (of course), water literally dripping from his black hair despite there being no rain. His silver eyes track our approach with predatory focus.
And beside him— My breath catches.
A young man with silver hair that catches the filtered sunlight. Storm-grey eyes that are currently staring at me with the same shock I'm feeling. Lithe build, sharp features, dressed in clothes that look like they're made of water given form.
My face.
Not exactly—his features are sharper, his expression more guarded, his entire energy different—
But unmistakably, undeniably my face. Kaelis.
"Fuck," I breathe.
"Breathe," Ravion murmurs. "Just breathe."
We stop about ten feet from them. Close enough to see. Far enough to maintain distance.
The four of us—two princes, two powerful beings—just stare at each other.
The silence is deafening.
Nyx breaks it first.
"Ravion," he says coldly.
"Nyx," Ravion replies with equal chill.
"You look terrible."
"You look wet."
"I'm the Sea God. I'm supposed to look wet."
"You look like a drowned cat."
Nyx's eye twitches. "I'm going to—"
"Can you two NOT?" Kaelis interrupts, stepping forward slightly. His eyes never leave mine. "We're here for them. Not for your centuries-old rivalry bullshit."
I blink. His voice is different from mine—rougher, more edge to it—but the cadence is familiar.
"He's right," I manage. My voice sounds weird to my own ears. "Can we just—" I gesture helplessly between us. "Can we just talk? Please?"
Ravion and Nyx exchange looks.
Some silent communication passes between them.
Finally, Ravion nods. "We'll give you space. But we're staying close."
"Obviously," Nyx agrees. "Neither of us is that stupid."
They move away—not far, maybe twenty feet—to opposite sides of the clearing. Both watching. Both ready to intervene.
And then it's just us.
Me and Kaelis.
Two prophecy princes.
Staring at each other across ten feet that feels like a chasm.
"So," Kaelis says finally. "This is weird." A laugh bursts out of me. "So fucking weird."
"You look—" He stops. Starts again. "You look like me. Obviously. But also not."
"Same." I take a tentative step closer. "Your eyes are different. Sharper."
"Yours are warmer." He matches my step. "Your hair is brown."
"Yours is silver."
"You're taller."
"Barely. Like an inch."
"Still counts."
We're close enough now that I could reach out and touch him. Neither of us does.
"I got your letter," I say.
"Yeah?" He looks nervous. "That was—it probably sounded stupid."
"It sounded honest." I pull the folded letter from my pocket. "I've read it like fifty times."
His eyes widen. "Why?"
"Because it was the first time someone understood." The words come out raw.
"What it's like. Being claimed by someone more powerful than you. Having your whole life decided by magic you didn't choose. Feeling like you're drowning in destiny."
Kaelis' expression cracks. "Yeah. Exactly that."
"Everyone keeps saying we're prophecy children like that's supposed to mean something. But I don't know what the fuck I'm doing." I'm rambling now. Can't stop. "I'm from 2025. I don't understand magic or kingdoms or any of this. I was kidnapped and married and poisoned and I'm just—I'm just trying to survive."
"I ran away," Kaelis blurts out. "From my wedding. To Ravion. Your—" He gestures awkwardly. "Your husband now. I just—I couldn't do it. Couldn't be what everyone wanted. So I jumped through a portal without thinking and ended up in your time and—" His voice cracks. "And you fell through and took my place."
The guilt in his expression is crushing.
"Hey," I say quickly. "That's not—that wasn't your fault."
"Wasn't it? If I hadn't run—"
"Then you'd be the one married to Ravion and I'd probably be living my boring life in Brooklyn." I take another step closer. "And yeah, this whole situation is insane. But I can't—" I stop. Try again. "I can't regret it. Because he—Ravion—he's—"
"You love him." It's not a question.
"Yeah," I admit. "I do. Which is crazy because he kidnapped me but also he's—he's good to me. He protects me. He makes me feel safe and wanted and—" I'm crying. When did that start? "I'm sorry. You probably hate hearing this. He was supposed to be your husband and I—"
"I'm glad it's you."
I freeze. "What?"
Kaelis is crying too now. "I'm glad it's you he married. Because you—you love him. He clearly loves you. And I—" He laughs wetly. "I would've made him miserable. We would've destroyed each other."
"You don't know that."
"I do." He wipes his eyes roughly. "I'm chaos, Kieran. I break things. I make bad decisions. I run from everything." He looks at me fully. "You're brave. You stayed. You chose him even after everything. That's—that's something I couldn't do."
"You're brave too," I insist. "You jumped through a portal into the unknown. That's terrifying."
"That's running away."
"That's surviving."
We stare at each other.
And then, without planning it, without thinking—
We hug.
It's awkward at first. Two people who look identical but are complete strangers. But then it clicks—arms around each other, holding tight, both of us crying into each other's shoulders.
"I'm so glad you exist," I choke out.
"I'm so glad you exist too," he manages.
We stand there in the clearing, holding each other, two halves of a fractured prophecy finally coming together.
When we finally pull apart, we're both a mess.
"Gods, we're disasters," Kaelis laughs.
"Matching disasters."
"The worst kind."
I glance over at where Ravion stands.
He's trying to look stoic but I can see the relief in his expression.
"He was terrified I'd want to leave with you," I say quietly.
"Nyx was terrified I'd want to stay with Ravion," Kaelis admits. "Possessive supernatural beings are exhausting."
"Right?!"
"Like yes, I get it, you're powerful and ancient and I'm yours or whatever—"
"—but can you maybe chill for five seconds—"
"—and let us just exist without being claimed property—"
We're both laughing now.
"Oh gods," I gasp. "We're the same person."
"We're definitely the same person."
"This is so weird."
"So fucking weird."
---
KAELIS' POV —
I like him.
My twin. My mirror. My—whatever we are to each other.
I actually like him.
We've been talking for maybe an hour now—sitting on a fallen log, close enough that our shoulders touch, both of us gesturing wildly as we try to explain our lives.
"So wait," I say. "You're telling me in 2025, people just—walk around with those rectangle things? All the time?"
"Phones, yeah. Everyone has one."
"What if you lose it?"
"You have a mental breakdown and retrace your steps for three hours."
I laugh. "That's insane."
"Your world has magic!"
"Magic makes sense! You just—you think at things and they happen!"
"That's not how magic works—"
"It's how I make it work—"
We're grinning at each other like idiots.
"Okay but seriously," Kieran says. "The poison. Are you okay? Your letter said—"
"I'm fine. Mostly." I touch my chest where the bond sits. "The antidote worked. I'm recovered."
"Good." He looks relieved. "I was worried."
"You don't even know me."
"You're my twin. Of course I was worried."
Something warm spreads through my chest.
"Do you—" I hesitate. "Do you feel it? The bond between us?"
"Yeah." He touches his chest too, mirroring me. "It's weird. Not like the marriage bond with Ravion. More like—"
"Like we're tethered," I finish. "Like if I pull, you'd feel it."
"Exactly."
We sit in silence for a moment.
Then: "Can I ask you something?" Kieran says quietly.
"Yeah."
"Do you regret it? Running away from the wedding? From Ravion?"
I think about it. Really think.
"No," I say finally. "Because if I hadn't run, I wouldn't have met Nyx. Wouldn't have the Tidelands. Wouldn't have—" I stop. "I'd be trapped in a marriage I didn't want with someone I didn't choose."
"But now you're with Nyx."
"Who I also didn't choose," I admit. "But at least—at least he's trying. Letting me make decisions. Giving me space. Not forcing anything." I look at Kieran. "Does that make sense?"
"Completely." He leans against me slightly. "Ravion's the same. He kidnapped me, married me, literally started a war to keep me—"
"That's insane."
"I know! But he also—he lets me be myself. Doesn't try to change me. Just—loves me. For me."
I bump his shoulder. "You got lucky."
"So did you."
"Yeah," I agree softly. "Yeah, I did."
Movement across the clearing catches my eye. Nyx is watching us. Not possessive or jealous. Just... observing. Making sure I'm okay.
When he sees me looking, he offers a small smile.
I smile back.
"He's in love with you," Kieran observes.
"I know."
"Are you in love with him?"
I'm quiet for a moment.
"Yeah," I finally admit. "I think I am. Which is terrifying."
"Because it's real?"
"Because if it's real, then this—" I gesture around. "All of this. The prophecy, the magic, being claimed. It means something. And I'm not sure I'm ready for that."
Kieran takes my hand. "Can I tell you something?"
"Yeah."
"I was terrified too. Kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. For Ravion to reveal this was all manipulation or possession or—something." He squeezes my hand. "But it's not. It's just—love. Messy, complicated, absolutely insane love. But love."
"How do you know?"
"Because when Isolde attacked, when those assassins tried to take me—" His voice drops. "Ravion killed them all in seconds. Six trained soldiers. Dead. For me." He looks at me. "That's not possession. That's love."
I swallow hard. "Nyx would do the same."
"I know." Kieran smiles. "That's how I know he loves you."
We sit there, hands linked, two prophecy princes who've finally found someone who understands.
"We should probably get back," I say reluctantly. "Before our overprotective supernatural beings have an aneurysm from watching us."
Kieran laughs. "Yeah, probably."
We stand. Turn to face our respective partners.
But before we separate: "Kieran?"
"Yeah?"
"Can we—can we do this again? Meet up? Talk?"
His smile is blinding. "I'd like that."
"Good." I pull him into another hug. Quick but genuine. "Don't be a stranger, twin."
"You either."
We break apart.
I walk back to Nyx. Kieran walks back to Ravion.
And somehow, everything feels lighter.
---
KIERAN'S POV —
"How was it?" Ravion asks immediately when I reach him.
"Good." I'm smiling so wide my face hurts. "Really good."
"You're happy."
"I'm happy."
He pulls me close, presses a kiss to my forehead. "Good."
"Were you worried?"
"Terrified." He admits it easily. "But you're smiling. So it was worth it."
Across the clearing, I see Kaelis with Nyx. Nyx has his arm around Kaelis' shoulders, saying something that makes Kaelis laugh.
They look happy too.
"This was good," I say to Ravion.
"Meeting him. Understanding—" I stop. "Understanding that we're both living the lives we're supposed to. Even if they're not the lives anyone planned."
"No regrets?"
"None." I look up at him. "I chose you. I choose you. Every time."
His expression softens. "I love you."
"I love you too."
He kisses me—soft, claiming, reminding me who I belong to.
When we break apart, I glance back at Kaelis one more time.
He's looking at me too.
We both smile.
Two prophecy princes.
Two timelines.
Two loves.
One destiny that fractured and somehow, impossibly, ended up right.
"Ready to go home?" Ravion asks.
"Yeah," I say. "Let's go home."
But as we turn to leave, I feel it— That pull in my chest. The twin bond. Connecting me to Kaelis.
A reminder that I'm not alone anymore.
That somewhere, in an underwater realm, there's someone who understands.
Someone who's living the same impossible story.
And somehow, that makes everything easier.
---
KAELIS' POV —
"Well?" Nyx asks as we walk away from the clearing. "Verdict?"
"I like him."
"Good."
"I mean I really like him. He's—he's like me but also completely different. He's softer but braver and he loves Ravion which is insane but also kind of perfect and—" I stop. "I like having a twin."
Nyx smiles. "I'm glad."
"Are you?" I look at him. "You seem relieved."
"Because I am." He stops walking, turns to face me. "I was terrified you'd meet him and realize you wanted something different. A different life. A different—" He stops.
"A different person?" I finish.
"Yes."
I take his hand. "I don't want different. I want this. I want you."
His smile is soft. Devastating. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." I pull him down into a kiss. "You're stuck with me, Sea God."
"Best thing that's ever happened to me," he murmurs against my lips.
When we break apart, he asks: "Do you want to see him again? Kieran?"
"Yeah. If that's okay."
"It's more than okay." He starts walking again, pulling me along. "He's your twin. Your brother. You should have that connection."
"Even if it means dealing with Ravion?"
"Even then." He grimaces. "Though I'm not looking forward to those meetings."
"You two were almost civil today."
"That's because we were both terrified of screwing this up for you." He glances at me. "Don't expect that to last."
I laugh. "Fair enough."
As we reach the edge where the portal back to the Tidelands waits, I look back.
The clearing is empty now. Kieran and Ravion gone.
But I can still feel it—that bond connecting us. Invisible but unbreakable.
"Thank you," I say to Nyx.
"For what?"
"For letting me meet him. For understanding why I needed to."
"Always." He pulls me close. "Your happiness is my happiness, Kaelis. Even when it's complicated."
"Everything about us is complicated."
"True." He grins. "But that's what makes it interesting."
We step through the portal together, back to the Tidelands, back to our home.
And for the first time since jumping through that original portal, since running away from my wedding, since being claimed by a sea god— I feel complete.
Not because I found my twin.
But because I found my place.
With Nyx. With Kieran. With a family I'm building from chaos and magic and impossible love.
The prophecy wanted to control me. Destiny wanted to define me.
But in the end? I'm defining myself.
And that's the best fucking feeling in the world.