Chapter 5: The Fight in the Mirror

Zephyr's POV

Kill her.

The voice in my head was cold and clear. Not my voice and never my voice.

Kill her before she destroys everything.

I stood in the shadows of the east corridor, watching Cax walk toward the servants' quarters. Watching him go to her. Our mate.

My mate.

No, not yours. Never yours.

The voice was getting louder. It always got louder when I was near her. When I thought about her. When I felt the bond pulling at me like a rope tied around my ribs.

I pressed my hands against my temples, trying to push it back. Trying to silence it.

It didn't work. It never worked.

You know what she is. The Prophecy Child, the one with violet blood. She'll ruin everything, she'll break the plan and she'll expose you.

"Shut up," I whispered into the darkness. "Shut up, shut up, shut up."

But I couldn't make it stop. Because part of me knew it was right.

I wasn't supposed to be here. Wasn't supposed to be one of the triplets. I was supposed to be a weapon. A spy. A tool for the Sylvan agents to use against this palace, against this pack.

They'd put something inside me when I was young. I didn't remember when. Didn't remember how. But I knew it was there. A second soul, a second voice and one that didn't belong to me.

And now that voice wanted my mate dead.

I started walking. Not toward the servants' quarters, away from it. Toward the restricted wing where Dr. Elara kept her research.

The Sylvan soul pushed me forward. Made my feet move even though I wanted to stop. Wanted to turn around. Wanted to go to Ava and protect her from everything, including myself.

She's dangerous, she'll sense what you are, she'll tell them and she'll destroy you.

"She won't," I said out loud. My voice sounded strange. Broken. "She doesn't even know I exist."

That's good. Keep it that way. Get what we came for and leave.

I reached the door to Dr. Elara's lab. My hands knew the code without me thinking about it. The Sylvan soul had memorized it weeks ago, waiting for the right moment.

This was the right moment. While everyone was distracted. While my brothers were focused on the new mate.

The door opened. The lab was dark and empty. Dr. Elara was gone for the night, meeting with contacts in the city. The Sylvan soul had made sure of that too.

I walked to the locked cabinet in the back. Inside were samples. Blood samples. All different colors and types, collected over years of research.

But there was only one I needed.

The violet one.

My hand reached for the cabinet lock. The Sylvan soul guided me, showed me exactly how to pick it. I'd done this before. Stolen things before. I was good at it.

The lock clicked open.

Inside, in a small glass vial, was a drop of violet blood. Old blood. Ancient blood. Dr. Elara had been studying it for years, trying to understand its power.

Take it. Now.

I reached for the vial.

My hand stopped halfway.

No. This was wrong. This was my mate's blood. Her bloodline. Her power.

I couldn't steal from her. Couldn't betray her. Not when she'd just arrived. Not when she needed protection.

Take it or I'll make you take it.

Pain exploded in my skull. The Sylvan soul was fighting me, pushing against my mind, trying to take full control.

I stumbled back from the cabinet, gasping. My vision blurred. For a moment I saw double. Saw the world through two different sets of eyes.

One set wanted to protect Ava. Wanted to love her. Wanted to claim her and keep her safe forever.

The other set wanted her dead.

"No," I growled. "You can't have her. You can't touch her."

She'll destroy us both. Don't you see? The prophecy says the violet blood will end the old order. That means us. That means the Sylvan plan. That means everything we've worked for.

"I don't care about your plan." I grabbed the vial anyway, but not to take it. To protect it. "I care about her."

Fool. You think you can love her? You think she'd want you if she knew what you really are? A spy. A traitor. A monster with two souls fighting for control.

The words hit hard because they were true.

Ava would never accept me if she knew. She'd run. She'd be terrified. She'd tell Ryker and Cax and they'd kill me for being a threat.

But I didn't care.

I put the vial back in the cabinet and locked it. The Sylvan soul screamed in fury, sending waves of pain through my head.

I left the lab quickly, my whole body shaking.

The bond pulled at me. Called to me. Begged me to go to her.

I wanted to. More than anything, I wanted to see her. To touch her. To tell her that I'd protect her no matter what.

But I couldn't.

Because I wasn't sure which soul would be in control when I got there.

I made it to the servants' quarters anyway. My feet carried me there without permission. I stood outside her door, listening to Cax's voice inside. Listening to her scared breathing.

Cax would leave soon. Then she'd be alone.

Then I could watch over her. Just watch. Just make sure she was safe.

The Sylvan soul fought me with every step. Tried to make me turn around. Tried to make me stay away.

But for once, my soul was stronger.

I waited in the shadows until Cax left, looking frustrated and hurt. He walked past me without seeing me. I was good at hiding. Always had been.

Then I slipped into her room.

She was asleep. Curled up small in her bed, her face still wet with tears.

My chest ached looking at her. She was so beautiful, so fragile.

Mine, my soul whispered. Ours.

No and not ours. Kill her. End this now before it's too late.

I reached out slowly. My hand trembled as it got closer to her face. I just wanted to touch her once. Just once. To feel the bond. To feel real.

My fingers were an inch from her cheek when the Sylvan soul ripped control away from me.

I jerked back violently, slamming my fist into the wall. The sound was loud.

Ava stirred but didn't wake.

I backed toward the door, fighting myself. Fighting the war inside my own head.

Get out. Leave. Don't come back.

But I didn't want to leave, I wanted to stay and wanted to protect her.

You can't protect her from yourself.

I left before I could do something terrible. Before the wrong soul won.

In the hallway, I pressed my back against the wall and tried to breathe.