Chapter 36-Sreaming

Sonia’s heart seized. She and Eric were already moving, file clutched tight, adrenaline sharpening her every step. They rounded a corner, the world a blur of stone and shadows, and found Mavina Cross standing in the middle of the hallway, her face pale as bone, eyes wide with terror.

“Mavina,” Sonia gasped, feeling the echo of Silas’s voice on her tongue.

Mavina’s eyes flicked to her, and for a moment, Sonia saw the girl beneath the queen,the vulnerability that even Daxton’s iron walls couldn’t hide.

“They’re here,” Mavina whispered, voice trembling. “The Cartel of Crowns. They’ve found us.”

Eric swore under his breath, his jaw tight. “Where?”

“Everywhere,” Mavina said, her voice cracking. “They’re rounding up anyone who’s asked questions. They think I’m still on their side.”

Sonia felt her pulse drum in her ears. This was the next phase, the game Silas had warned her about, the moment the masks fell and the predators revealed themselves.

She stepped closer to Mavina, her voice low. “We need to get everyone out. Can you help us?”

Mavina’s lips trembled, but then her chin lifted, her eyes hardening like steel. “Yes,” she breathed. “But you need to trust me.”

Eric’s eyes darted between the two girls, wary. “She’s lied before.”

Mavina flinched as if he’d struck her. “I had to. You think I wanted to be part of their games? You think I wanted to…” Her voice broke, and tears welled in her eyes. “They threatened to kill my family.”

Sonia reached out, her fingers brushing Mavina’s sleeve. “We all have reasons,” she said gently. “But right now, we’re out of time. Lead us to a safe place. Then we’ll talk.”

Mavina nodded, and with one last glance down the hall, she took off at a run. Sonia and Eric followed, their breath ragged, the file heavy in Sonia’s arms.

They moved through hidden passages Sonia didn’t know existed, narrow staircases, forgotten classrooms that smelled of dust and secrets. At last, Mavina pushed open a door and led them into what looked like an old chapel, its stained glass shattered and its pews covered in tattered tarps.

“This was where the founders used to pray,” Mavina said, her voice small, reverent. “No one comes here anymore.”

Eric scanned the room, his hand brushing the hilt of the hidden knife at his belt. “We can hide here, but we can’t stay long.”

Sonia clutched the file to her chest. “We have everything we need to expose them,” she said, her voice trembling with both fear and defiance. “Bank records, photos—Silas was right all along.”

Mavina’s gaze softened at the name. “Silas was always braver than any of us,” she whispered. “He saw them for what they were.”

Sonia’s throat tightened. “He was my brother.”

The air seemed to shift, the weight of that truth settling between them like a shared burden. Mavina reached out and squeezed Sonia’s hand.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her eyes glistening. “For everything. I never wanted this.”

Eric stepped closer, his eyes on Sonia. “We need to decide: run, or fight.”

Sonia met his gaze. She thought of Silas’s smile, of the night he’d kissed her cheek and whispered, “Don’t let them win.”

“We fight,” she said, her voice steel and smoke. “But we need to be smart. We can’t just throw ourselves at them. We need to outplay them.”

Eric’s smile was a flash of darkness and light. “That’s my girl,” he said, his voice low, rough with emotion.

He reached for her, his fingers brushing her cheek. For a moment, the world shrank to that single touch, and the ache in her chest eased.

Then, suddenly, Mavina stiffened. “Listen,” she hissed.

They all froze. Footsteps in multiple pairs echoed in the hallway outside. Heavy. Intentional.

Sonia’s pulse spiked. She grabbed Eric’s hand, clutching it like a lifeline.

“Hide,” Eric whispered.

The door creaked open, and a man in a black suit stepped inside.

“I know you’re here,” he said, his tone cold and amused. “Come out, and maybe I’ll let you live.”

Sonia felt Eric’s hand tighten around hers. Their eyes met, and in that moment, a silent promise passed between them: no matter what, they’d fight.

Because she wasn’t just Silas’s twin anymore.

She was his legacy.

And she wouldn’t let the darkness win.