LOGINFINN'S POVI stared at Liora, trying to understand what she had just told me.“What do you mean she's not my sister?”Liora glanced towards the iron door again. “I mean exactly what I said. The girl inside that chamber is not the person you think she is.”“But she knows me. She called me Elara, and she remembers what happened eleven years ago.”“So do I.”I took a step towards her. “Then tell me what happened.”Ryan moved closer, his expression guarded. “You will explain everything, Liora. But first, tell us how you escaped.”“I didn't escape from anywhere.”“Your records say you died.”A faint smile crossed her face, although there was no amusement in it. “Your father's records say many things that aren't true.”Dylan folded his arms. “You were found near the northern river when you were six years old. You were brought into the palace, and your memories were sealed. Are you denying that?”“No. I'm saying that the person who brought me there knew exactly who I was.”“Who brought you?”
EVELYN'S POV“Don't let Liora tell you what happened.”I stared at the iron door, trying to understand why the girl behind it would say something like that. She had called me Elara as though she knew me, and the way she spoke made it clear that whatever happened between us was something she remembered very well.I turned towards Dylan. “You said Liora was inside this chamber. Is that the girl you're talking about?”Dylan shook his head slightly. “I didn't see her face. Varyn's men had locked me in another room, but I heard someone speaking to them. They kept asking her about the guardian and the key. She refused to answer.”“Then how do you know it was Liora?”“Because one of the soldiers called her by that name.”I looked back at the door. “But this girl is telling me not to trust her.”Ryan moved closer, studying the lock. “We shouldn't assume the person behind that door is telling us the truth. Varyn could have placed her here deliberately to make us doubt Liora.”“Why would he do
EVELYN'S POVI read the message again, hoping there was some mistake in the words, but nothing changed.Bring Elara to the northern river before sunrise. If you refuse, I will let the guardian remember everything, including why she killed her own sister.I slowly lowered the letter.“Ryan, what sister is he talking about?”He took the message from my hand, his expression darkening as he read it again.“I don't know.”“You said your father was involved in the experiment. You said my mother came to Drakoria eleven years ago. Now Varyn is claiming I killed someone. How much more is there that nobody has told me?”Ryan remained silent.I stepped closer to him.“I need you to tell me everything you know about my mother.”“I have already told you what I found in my father's records.”“No, you haven't. You just told me she was involved in opening the boundary, something you conveniently forgot to mention until now.”He looked towards Seraphina before returning his attention to me.“My father
EVELYN'S POVThe sound came again, followed by a deep vibration that travelled through the floor beneath my feet.I stepped away from the mirror, my heart pounding as I stared at its dark surface. Whatever had been on the other side was no longer simply appearing in a vision. Something was trying to get through.“Get everyone out of this chamber!” Seraphina shouted.The guards immediately moved towards the entrance, but I remained where I was, unable to take my eyes off the mirror.My mother's words kept repeating inside my head.Your father was never the one who opened the first door.If Elias hadn't opened it, then who had?And why had she been about to tell me before the connection disappeared?“Evelyn!” Seraphina grabbed my arm. “We need to leave.”I allowed her to pull me towards the entrance, but before we could get out, the mirror produced another loud vibration. One of the research tables moved several inches across the floor, and the glass containers on top of it shattered.T
EVELYN'S POVI remained in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection even after the image had disappeared. Liora's last words kept repeating inside my head, and I couldn't stop thinking about what she had said.You didn't lock me inside because you wanted to hurt me. You did it because I begged you to.What did that mean?Why would she ask me to lock her inside something, and what exactly had I done eleven years ago?“Evelyn, step away from the mirror.”Seraphina pulled me backwards, and I reluctantly allowed her to lead me towards the door.“Did you see what happened?” I asked. “Liora is alive, and Varyn has her.”“I saw.”“Then we need to tell Ryan immediately.”Seraphina nodded and hurried towards the table where the communication device was kept. It was an old mechanism used by the royal household to send urgent messages to military commanders. She placed her hand against the small crystal embedded in its centre and spoke Ryan's name.There was no response.She tried again, bu
EVELYN'S POVI stared at Ryan, trying to process what he had just said.“You mean Liora might still be alive?”“I mean we never confirmed that the body belonged to her.”“But I saw her lying there. Everyone believed she was dead.”“Because someone wanted us to believe that.”I looked down at the document in his hand. If Liora had been brought into the palace eleven years ago under King Drake's instructions, then her death might have been part of a plan that had been carefully arranged long before I arrived in Drakoria.But why would they go through all that trouble to hide her identity?“Ryan, if Liora is the guardian, why would Varyn need her?”He pointed towards the northern river on the map.“Because the second door cannot be opened with you alone. The records suggest the guardian and the key must be brought together.”I remembered the girl's voice inside my head.You promised you wouldn't leave me again.Then I remembered the warning she had given me.You were the one who locked m







