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Chapter 43 - Chapter 48 – Shadows of the Past

The rain had stopped, leaving the city slick and glistening under a cold, gray sky. Selene sat alone on the rooftop of the safe house, her legs dangling over the edge as she stared down at the winding streets below. The city, with all its secrets and sins, felt heavier today — burdened not just by the looming threat of Harrow but by the ghosts she carried within her.

The wind tugged at her coat, whispering memories she had tried to bury.

 

Her thoughts drifted back to the day she first walked into this battle — fresh-faced and full of conviction, unaware of how deep the darkness would run. She remembered her family's betrayal, the friends lost, the lines she'd crossed. Every choice had chipped away at the person she used to be.

Selene closed her eyes, breathing in the damp air. The past was a shadow, yes — but it shaped the woman she'd become.

 

A soft voice interrupted her solitude.

"You shouldn't be up here alone."

Selene opened her eyes to see Mira stepping out of the stairwell, her expression unreadable beneath the hood pulled low.

"I needed a moment," Selene replied quietly.

Mira joined her at the ledge, gazing out at the city. "We all have shadows, Selene. Ones that follow us no matter where we go."

Selene nodded slowly. "My past is tangled with Harrow's. Sometimes I wonder if I'm fighting the enemy — or myself."

 

Mira turned to face her. "You're stronger than you realize. But strength isn't just about fighting. It's about facing those shadows and not letting them define you."

Selene looked at Mira, gratitude flickering in her eyes. "How did you become so… unshakable?"

Mira smiled faintly, a hint of pain beneath the calm. "Because I had to. I lost everything once — family, trust, hope. But I found a purpose beyond survival. That's what keeps me going."

 

The two women sat in silence, the weight of shared loss bridging the gap between them.

Suddenly, Selene's comm crackled to life. Lina's voice was urgent.

"Selene, you need to see this. We found something in the data from Elias's notebook. Something you weren't expecting."

Selene stood quickly, heart pounding. "What is it?"

"There's a name — one connected to your past. Someone very close to you, who might be the mole."

 

The rooftop seemed to tilt beneath her feet. The past, it seemed, was not done with her yet.

"Send me everything," Selene said, her voice cold but determined. "It's time to face those shadows — once and for all."

 

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