LYRRISE'S POV...
Sleep never came.
I tossed, turned, stared at the ceiling until the darkness bled into morning. No matter how many times I tried to close my eyes, all I saw was that cloaked figure on the rooftop—the way they'd looked at me before disappearing like smoke.
By the time I dragged myself to class, my head throbbed, my limbs heavy, but what waited on my desk snapped the fog out of me instantly.
A letter.
Neat, folded, and sealed with nothing but a single smear of ink.
For a heartbeat, I thought it was another one of Selendra's childish pranks—she loved slipping petty notes whenever she wanted attention—but my suspicion died the moment my eyes caught the handwriting.
Selendra's penmanship was sharp, cruel, and messy, like she carved words into paper.
This… this was different. Fluid. Calculated. Too careful.
My chest tightened. A sense of dread crawled over my skin as I unfolded the paper.
And then I saw their names.
Rael.
Lior.
Everything inside me stilled. My jaw clenched, my vision blurred for a second before my pulse began to hammer so hard it hurt.
So I wasn't imagining it. My instincts had been screaming all along—something had happened to them.
The words on the page twisted like venom, confirming what I already feared.
I crushed the letter in my hand, nails digging into the paper until it nearly tore.
Anger. Raw, unfiltered, burning up my veins.
If whoever wrote this thought they could use Rael and Lior against me, they'd made the biggest mistake of their life.
The letter burned in my pocket the whole morning.
By the time the lunch bell rang, my patience was already gone. I pulled it out again, skimmed the words that told me to meet on the roof, and without thinking twice I crushed the page into a tight ball and tossed it into the trash.
No more games.
If this was a trap, fine. Let it be. I wasn't afraid.
When I pushed open the rooftop door, the cold wind slapped me across the face—and there he was. The same cloaked figure I'd seen last night, standing against the skyline as if waiting for me all along.
Frustration surged through me, my voice sharp as I stepped forward.
"If something happened to Lior and Rael," I spat, "I'll kill Aralin. And I'll kill you too."
The figure didn't flinch. Didn't even move. Then… he laughed. Low, almost mocking.
That laugh lit fire under my skin. My fists curled, ready to strike, when he finally lifted his head.
"I wouldn't worry so much," he said, voice deeper than I expected. "Uncle is fine."
I froze.
"…Uncle?"
The figure removed his hood, and for the first time I saw his face. A boy—no, a young man, maybe a year or two younger than me. His hair was the same shade as mine, silver streaked with faint crimson, and his eyes glowed faintly red in the daylight.
My heart skipped. My mouth went dry.
"Who the hell are you?" I demanded.
He smiled faintly. "Your little brother."
The words nearly knocked the air from my lungs.
"My… what?"
"My name's Cerys," he said, calm as if we were talking about the weather. "But don't misunderstand… I'm not really Aralin's son. I'm his experiment. Just like you."
My breath caught. The rooftop tilted for a moment as the truth sank in—another experiment. Another life twisted by Aralin's hands.
His words echoed in my head, heavy and confusing— not Aralin's son… but Aralin's experiment.
But before I could even demand more answers, his body began to shift. His form shrank, his features softening, and within seconds the young man standing before me was gone.
In his place was a little boy.
A five-year-old with the same silver-crimson hair and crimson-glowing eyes, beaming up at me like this was all a game.
My jaw nearly dropped.
"You've got to be kidding me…"
He giggled, clutching his small hands behind his back. "I'm only five, you know."
"Five?!" My voice cracked. "Aralin lets you—lets a kid—wander around here?"
Cerys shrugged innocently. "He doesn't care. Not really. He never notices when I sneak out anyway. And besides—" he puffed out his chest, grinning proudly— "I can teleport. I can make portals too. Easy."
The confidence in his tiny voice was almost laughable. Almost.
I sighed, rubbing my temple. "Of course you can. Why wouldn't you?"
He tilted his head, watching me carefully, but all I could think about was how wrong this all was. A child—his own experiment. Not a son. Not cared for. Just another tool Aralin created.
"Your penmanship," I muttered, crouching down to his level, "was worse than Selendra's attitude. It looked calculated, but it's still obviously written by a kid."
That earned another giggle.
I couldn't help it—I lifted my hand and gently patted his head. His soft hair fell between my fingers as he leaned into my touch like he hadn't been given affection in years.
For a moment, the rooftop didn't feel so heavy. For a moment, it was just me and this strange little brother I never knew existed.
And I didn't know whether to be angry… or to smile.
"Cerys," I said softly, crouching so my eyes leveled with his smaller frame. "Rael and Lior… do you know where they are?"
His cheerful grin faltered. He shuffled his feet, avoiding my gaze. "They're… in prison."
My stomach dropped. "Prison?"
"Uncle Rael told me to visit you," Cerys mumbled, fidgeting with his hands. "He said I should look after you until they come back."
I blinked at him. Then rolled my eyes, groaning under my breath. "Seriously? Just great. My almighty Rael wants a five-year-old to protect me."
Cerys tilted his head, confused, as if I'd said something funny. I shook mine, muttering, "Maybe what he really meant was… for me to look after you."
That earned me a tiny smile.
But it didn't last. When I asked carefully, "Cerys… how have you been in Aralin's lab?" his face turned pale. His lips trembled.
"It hurts sometimes…" he whispered.
My hands clenched into fists. "Hurts?"
He nodded. "But Father—" he caught himself, then corrected with a small laugh, "Aralin—he said I would be loved more if I obey him."
My blood boiled. Not at Cerys. Never at him. But at him. At Aralin. That man had no right to call himself a father to anyone.
I stood abruptly, my anger threatening to slip through. I forced myself to calm down for the boy's sake.
"Cerys," I said firmly, reaching out and taking his small hand in mine. He blinked up at me, startled by the sudden seriousness in my voice.
"From now on, you're not staying in some lab. You'll wait in my room, alright? Until I get back."
He tilted his head curiously. "Your… room?"
"Yes." My grip tightened just slightly, protective. "You don't belong in his laboratory. You'll be safe there."
Without another word, I guided him down the rooftop stairs. His small hand was warm against mine, and as we walked, I could feel his quiet excitement at being treated like more than just an experiment.
But deep down, I swore to myself—Aralin would pay for what he had done.
——
The next morning, I slipped out into the marketplace, weaving between stalls and shops until I found what I needed—tiny clothes that would actually fit Cerys. He couldn't keep running around in that oversized cloak; he deserved better.
I picked up a small tunic and a pair of pants, holding them against myself to guess his size. That's when I heard a voice gasp dramatically.
"Lyrrise!"
I nearly dropped the shirt. Kaelenna stood there, eyes wide, hands clapped over her mouth.
"You're buying clothes for… for a five-year-old?" she said in a stage-whisper, shaking me like it was the end of the world. "Don't tell me—you're pregnant?!"
I choked on air. "W-what?!"
Soryn, of course, appeared right on cue, arms crossed and smirking. "Pregnant, huh? Who's the father? Don't tell me it's Cyril."
My entire face heated up. "I—I am not pregnant! And it's definitely not Cyril!" I shouted, which only made nearby shoppers stare.
Kaelenna blinked. "Wait… then why are you—"
"I have a little brother, okay?" I cut her off, exasperated but also flustered. "His name is Cerys. He's in my room right now. That's why I'm buying clothes."
The shock on their faces melted instantly into grins.
"Ohhh!" Kaelenna squealed, practically bouncing. "You have a little brother? That's so cute! I want to meet him!"
Soryn chuckled, shaking her head. "Here I thought you'd pulled some reckless stunt and ended up a mom overnight. Guess it was just for your little brother. That's… a relief."
I groaned, covering my face. "You two are impossible."
Kaelenna and Soryn exchanged glances before bursting into laughter. "Sorry, sorry," Kaelenna said between giggles, "we just jumped to conclusions."
"Way too fast," Soryn added, still smirking.
They each grabbed my arms, dragging me toward the stalls. "Come on," Kaelenna said, eyes sparkling. "If we're shopping for your brother, we're helping!"
Before I knew it, the three of us were knee-deep in racks of children's clothes, Kaelenna holding up colorful shirts and Soryn teasing me about which ones looked like "mini assassin gear."
And for the first time in a while, I actually felt… lighter.
——
I unlocked the door to my dorm, Kaelenna and Soryn trailing close behind with arms full of shopping bags. The moment we stepped inside, I froze.
Cerys sat cross-legged on my bed, a book open on his lap, while Cyril leaned against the desk, quietly reading along with him. They looked… comfortable. Like they'd been doing this for hours.
Cerys spotted me first, his little face lighting up.
"Lyrrise!" he squealed, hopping off the bed and running toward me.
But Kaelenna, of course, couldn't resist. She smirked, elbowing me in the ribs. "Aww, look at that. Cyril and Cerys—father and son. Which makes you the mother."
Soryn snorted behind her, trying and failing to cover her laugh.
My face heated instantly. "Shut. Up." I grabbed the first thing I could reach—a plastic shopping bag—and slapped it gently over Kaelenna's mouth.
"Mmmph!" she squealed, muffled by the bag, while Soryn doubled over laughing. Cyril just raised an eyebrow at the chaos, clearly used to this by now.
Meanwhile, Cerys tugged at my sleeve, smiling wide. "Did you buy them?"
I knelt, pulling out the small bundle of folded clothes. "Here. They're yours. Try them on."
His eyes went wide, sparkling like I'd just handed him treasure. "Really?!"
I nodded, softening despite the teasing still echoing behind me. "Really. They're yours now."
Cerys hugged the clothes to his chest, beaming. And for the first time, I realized… maybe he finally felt like he belonged somewhere.
Cerys darted into the bathroom with the bundle of new clothes, humming happily. While waiting, Kaelenna wriggled free of the plastic bag I had shoved over her mouth earlier and immediately whispered, "Mother."
I shot her a death glare. "Say that again, and I'll strangle you with that shopping bag."
Soryn chuckled, shaking her head. "You two really are like siblings."
Before I could retort, the door creaked open and Cerys stepped out, grinning from ear to ear. He was drowning in the little hoodie I bought him, the sleeves slightly too long, but it somehow made him look even cuter.
Kaelenna squealed, clapping her hands. "Oh, you're adorable! You look like a tiny prince!" She crouched down and adjusted the hoodie on his shoulders.
Soryn nodded approvingly. "Much better than that oversized robe he came in with."
Cerys puffed out his chest proudly. "Do I look cool?"
"You look perfect," I said, unable to stop myself from smiling.
Kaelenna and Soryn exchanged a glance that screamed look how soft she is, but I ignored them.
Cyril, who had been silent until now, finally pushed himself off the desk. "He suits it. Makes him look like he belongs here." His tone was neutral, but when his eyes met mine, something unspoken passed between us.
Belongs here. Not with Aralin.
I swallowed hard, brushing a hand over Cerys's messy hair. "Go on, try the rest later. These two will probably spoil you even more if you're not careful."
Cerys giggled and ran back to the bed, already flipping open his book again. Kaelenna instantly joined him, animatedly pointing at the pages like she was his new favorite aunt.
That's when Cyril moved closer, low enough that only I could hear.
"You can't hide him forever," he said quietly, his voice firm. "If Aralin wants him back… he won't stop. And neither will his hunters."
My chest tightened, but I kept my eyes on Cerys's small, smiling figure. "Then we'll just have to make sure he never goes back."
For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw Cyril's lips twitch into something like approval.
Weeks passed since Cerys came into my life, and strangely… it felt natural. Almost too natural.
We never told anyone outside our circle that he was living in my dorm. Kaelenna, Soryn, and Deyon rotated like guardians, sneaking in with food, books, and even toys. The way they doted on him, you'd think he was everyone's younger sibling, not just mine.
One afternoon, I walked in to find Cerys on the floor surrounded by wooden soldiers, a puzzle half-finished beside him. His eyes sparkled as he held one of the toys up to me.
"Lyrrise," he said earnestly, "this is my first toy. Ever. I'll treasure it forever."
Something in my chest cracked. I dropped to my knees, pulling him into my arms before I could stop myself. His tiny body was warm, his laugh muffled against my shoulder.
"You're still just a child," I whispered into his hair, the words tasting bitter and soft at once. "And I promise you, Cerys… I'll protect you. No matter what."
Kaelenna leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching us with a gentle smile. "You really do look like a big sister now."
Soryn snorted but her gaze softened. "More like a mother."
Deyon, ever the tease, grinned. "Guess we're the uncles then."
I rolled my eyes at them, though I couldn't hide the warmth spreading inside me. For the first time in a long while, I wasn't just fighting for myself—or even for the city. I was fighting for him.
For my little brother.
——
The morning was brighter than usual, the kind of morning that filled my chest with a strange, restless excitement. Today, Amelia and Aelric were visiting. For once, it wasn't just me I wanted them to see—it was him.
When they stepped into the dorm, their eyes fell immediately on Cerys. He stood quietly at my side, his small hand clutching mine, his cape still trailing like he was afraid someone might take it away.
"Mom, dad…" I began nervously, then crouched to put a hand on Cerys's shoulder. "This is Cerys. My little brother."
Cerys's eyes widened. Little brother. I could feel the way his grip on me tightened, almost trembling. Then, slowly, his face lit up with a smile so pure it nearly broke me.
"My… sister," he whispered, almost like it was the first time he'd dared say the word aloud.
Amelia covered her mouth with her hand, eyes softening. "Oh, Lyrrise… he's beautiful. But how—?"
I forced a small smile, steadying my voice. "I… met my biological parent. It wasn't what I expected, but I know for certain—Cerys is my brother. And I want to take care of him."
It was a lie, but it was the only way.
Aelric's expression softened into something both amused and serious. "So… I'm a father again, am I?" He chuckled, resting a hand on Cerys's head. "Well, I've always wanted a son. Guess I finally got one. I'll train him myself."
Cerys's small giggle echoed in the room, his eyes sparkling with the kind of joy that made him look less like an experiment, more like the child he truly was.
Before I let him go with them, I knelt down, taking his hands firmly in mine. My tone grew serious, my voice almost a whisper only for him.
"Cerys. Listen carefully. Never use your powers. Not unless it's absolutely necessary. Do you understand?"
He nodded quickly, determination flashing across his little face. "I promise, sister."
I hugged him tightly one last time, closing my eyes. For the first time, Cerys would know what family felt like. And I silently swore to myself—no matter what it took, I'd keep him safe.